Anabelle Jaffe dedicated more than 60 years of her life to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland. Now, at 103 years old and no longer working with the school system, she enjoys life at The Ring House in Rockville, as noted by community member Lisa Banos, who attended Wheaton High School when Jaffe was a guidance counselor there.
Jaffe began her MCPS career as a guidance counselor at Wheaton High School, serving in that role for 47 years until her retirement in 2012 at the age of 90. Even after retiring, she returned as a substitute teacher, motivated by her love for working with children. Her return was featured by Melissa Mollet on NBC4 when Jaffe was 94 years old.
Jaffe has expressed her deep affection for children and her sense of purpose in working within schools. She firmly believes in the importance of having a purpose in life, regardless of age, and stresses the need to find daily inspiration. She has described motivating students as the most challenging aspect of her work, as highlighted by the Rockville High School newspaper in 2019 when Jaffe was noted as a “preferred sub.”
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jaffe was married to Dr. Louis S. Jaffe, a biochemist who later became a professor of environmental health. The couple moved to Montgomery County when Dr. Jaffe secured a position in Maryland. Anabelle quickly started her career with MCPS at Wheaton High School. Her husband passed away in 1977, and their only son, Barry S. Jaffe, succumbed to cancer in 2011.
Anabelle Jaffe earned her bachelor’s degree in education and initially taught high school history and English. She later pursued a master’s degree in counseling at George Washington University. In honor of her husband and son, she established a scholarship for students with interests in bioscience and the medical field.