Gladys Piech

Piech, Gladys

            Gladys Ellerson Piech, 91, of Lisle, NY went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 29, 2019.  She is survived by her cherished daughter and son-in-law, Pamela and Joseph Henderson.  She was predeceased by her loving husband of 64 years, Nicholas (Nick), parents, Clarence and Sadie Ellerson, sister, Orra Hayes, and brother Ralph Ellerson.

Gladys was born January 25, 1928 on her parents’ farm on Ellerson Road in Whitney Point. She moved to Mount Hunger Road in Lisle after her marriage in 1952 and resided there the rest of her life.  Gladys graduated from Whitney Point Central School in 1945 and from the State University College at Cortland in 1949.  For the next three years Gladys was employed as the Health Education Director at the Binghamton YMCA.  In 1952 Gladys began a career as a physical education instructor teaching for one year at Chenango Forks Central School and the following 31 years teaching at Whitney Point Central School.  For seven years after her retirement in 1984, she regularly served as a substitute teacher in Whitney Point.  Given her commitment to the importance of public education, she ran for, and was elected to, the Whitney Point Central School District Board of Education in 1990 and served on the Board for the following 13 years.  In total, she served the Whitney Point Central School District for 50 years.  In recognition of her accomplishments Gladys was inducted into the Whitney Point Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 2012 for community service.  Among those accomplishments was promoting young women’s athletics long before the enactment of Title IX of the federal Education Amendments Act of 1972, which put young men and women on equal footing in all public educational programs and activities.

Gladys’s public service extended beyond teaching.  She was involved with young people through 4-H including serving on the Broome County Board of Directors for 4-H.  She also was instrumental in obtaining a federal district court order which moved many Lisle telephone numbers from inclusion in the Cortland local exchange to the Binghamton one.  Additionally, Gladys was a member of the Broome County Retired Teachers’ Association, United Methodist Women, and the Nanticoke United Methodist Church.

As a young woman, Gladys showed quarter horses.  Among Gladys’s adult hobbies were knitting, sewing, baking, and growing roses and gladioli.  One could always find yarn and knitting needles by her chair with a sweater or another project in progress.  She also sewed extensively for her daughter for many years.

Gladys's family will receive friends from 1-3 PM and 6-8 PM on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at Sunset Memorial Services, 2659 Main Street, Whitney Point, NY.  Her funeral service will be held at 11 AM on Monday, June 3, 2019 at Nanticoke United Methodist Church, 25 Church Street, Nanticoke, NY.  Interment will follow the funeral at Center Lisle Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be sent to Nanticoke United Methodist Church in care of Connie Piech, 78 Cayuga Drive, Lisle, NY 13797.  Arrangements are in the care of James Shara.

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