Dr. Arnold E. Elman

CLIFTON PARK --- Dr. Arnold E. Elman, 90 years old, passed away at his home on Saturday March 18, 2023.

He was born on March 30, 1933 in Philadelphia, Pa., to Annabelle and Abraham Elman and moved to New York City as a young child. He was graduated from the Stuyvesant High School. Arnold was predeceased by an older brother, Erwin.

Dr. Elman attended the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy of Long Island University, Oneonta State Teachers College, and The State College for Teachers (SCT) at Albany, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in English and his Master’s Degree in Secondary Education.

At SCT, he met and married the love of his life, Toby Helen Scher. After marrying, they moved to Long Island, NY, where Arnold taught until 1968. Arnold saw service in the 3rd Infantry Division of the US Army, stationed in both Georgia and Germany.

In 1968, the family moved to Connecticut, where Arnold began his career as an educational administrator, serving as a school principal. Arnold then continued his education at The State University of New York at Albany where, in 1973, he received his Doctor’s degree while serving as an Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools in East Greenbush, NY.

The family returned to Connecticut when Arnold was appointed to the position of Superintendent of Schools in Coventry, CT., a position he held for ten years. Arnold and his family then returned to New York State when he was appointed Superintendent of Schools in Ellenville, NY, a position from which he retired in 1989. Following retirement, Toby and he moved to Clifton Park, NY.

Once again, Arnold returned to school, this time to earn an Associate’s Degree in Chemistry at Hudson Valley Community College.

His family, his religion, his friends, learning, and teaching were the main pillars of his life. In addition to these, public service might be added:

In his retirement years, Arnold engaged in many volunteer activities in the Capital Region of New York State: He served as an Emergency Medical Technician with the Ballston Lake Emergency Squad; as President of the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library Board; President of the Southern Adirondack Library System, which serves the libraries in Saratoga, Warren, Washington, and Hamilton Counties; trustee of the Capital Region Hebrew Academy (Beit Shraga); trustee and officer of Congregation Beth Shalom; and trustee and officer of the Library Trustees Association of New York State.

Arnold had a wide range of interests: the sciences, ancient geography, classical music, poetry, and the study of ancient and modern foreign languages.

Arnold took pride in his membership in Phi Delta Kappa, Mensa, and the Free and Accepted Masons.

He leaves behind his loving wife of over 66 years, Toby; three children: Abbie (Peter) Van Wely, Eric (Melinda) Elman, Sara (Tim) Whiting; five grandchildren: Hannah Van Wely (Jason Letts), Esther Van Wely, Leah Bender (Derek), Aaron Elman (Kelsey), and Joseph Whiting; and six great-grandchildren: Rory and Blake Letts, Cohen and Hadley Elman, Ryland and Skylar Bender.

Those wishing to remember Arnold in a special way can make memorial contributions in his name to The Community Hospice Foundation, 310 S. Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208 or Congregation Beth Shalom, 688 Clifton Park Center Road, Clifton Park, N.Y. 12065-1601

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday March 21st at 2:00 pm at Levine Memorial Chapel, 649 Washington Ave., Albany, NY, followed by interment in the Hebrew Tailors’ Cemetery on Western Avenue in Guilderland, NY.

The funeral services for Arnold will be livestreamed on the Levine Memorial Chapel facebook page. To view the service you will simply need to "like" the Levine Memorial Chapel facebook page and you will be able to view the funeral services when we go live at 2:00 pm. For anyone who is unable to watch the services live, we will leave the services on our page to be viewed at your convenience at a later time.

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