Over 60 years of Anabelle Jaffe’s life were devoted to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland. According to community member Lisa Banos, who went to Wheaton High School when Jaffe was a guidance counselor there, she now enjoys living at The Ring House in Rockville, despite being 103 years old and no longer employed by the school system.
At Wheaton High School, Jaffe started her MCPS career as a guidance counselor. She worked there for 47 years before retiring in 2012 at the age of 90. Her passion for working with children drove her to return as a substitute teacher even after she retired. Melissa Mollet of NBC4 highlighted her comeback when Jaffe was ninety-four.
Jaffe has talked about how much she loves kids and how working in schools gives her a sense of purpose. She emphasizes the necessity of finding inspiration every day and is a strong believer in the value of having a purpose in life, regardless of age. As indicated by the Rockville High School newspaper in 2019, when Jaffe was mentioned as a recommended substitute, she has stated that inspiring children is the most difficult part of her job.
Jaffe was married to Dr. Louis S. Jaffe, a biochemist who went on to become an environmental health professor, and was born and reared in Cincinnati, Ohio. When Dr. Jaffe got a job in Maryland, the couple relocated to Montgomery County. Anabelle began working for MCPS at Wheaton High School right away. Barry S. Jaffe, their sole son, died of cancer in 2011, and her husband died in 1977.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in education, Anabelle Jaffe began her career as a high school history and English teacher. Later, she attended George Washington University to obtain a master’s degree in counseling. She created a scholarship for students interested in bioscience and medicine in memory of her husband and children.
