St. Augustine, Fla. – Claire Glennon Lonsdale of Westminster, St. Augustine, FL , widow of the late Prof. Richard C. Lonsdale and widow of the late Prof. Vincent J. Glennon, died on September 28, 2021.
Professor Lonsdale was an early pioneer in promoting among teachers and parents an understanding of the syndrome first called hyperkinesis and now called ADHD. She interviewed Dr. Sydney Laufer, renowned pediatric psychiatrist, whose ground-breaking studies established that attention disorder had long been a misunderstood, undiagnosed and untreated problem. She published an early and widely used research summary, “Managing Hyperkinetic Behavior in the Classroom” (May ’74 The Reading Teacher).
A specialist also in dyslexia, learning styles, and handwriting, she consulted with Learning Matters of Cape Cod. She taught at the University of South Florida, and was reading director in Coventry and Colchester, CT. She worked together with teachers to diagnose and remediate early learning and the accompanying behavior problems on a continuing basis.
She believed and demonstrated with teachers she trained, “Anyone, at any age, can learn if we find the way to teach him.”
The oldest client who requested help from her and her late husband, was a highly successful 71- year-old Bostonian who had built a small wholesale clothing empire in spite of is being severely dyslexic and dyscalculic. She called this circumstance the “tip of the iceberg”, the many people of all ages struggling unnecessarily because early diagnosis and remediation in school was unavailable or inadequate.
She was born in Boston. At age 15 she was valedictorian of her Pepperell High School class and at age 19 of her Fitchburg State College graduating class.
She taught intermediate grades in Shrewsbury, MA before joining the Rinehart Handwriting System. She became the training director for the large staff of teachers who supervised handwriting in grade 1 – 16, traveling to over 100 towns and cities in New England.
She completed graduate studies at Boston University, Syracuse University, and the University of Connecticut where she received the J. Louis Cooper research scholarship, and where she was awarded her MA and CAGS. She was a certified school psychologist and reading specialist/consultant.
While living in Syracuse, Mrs. Lonsdale was director of the United Fund and Volunteer Center, vice-pre4sident of the League of Women Voters, president of the Syracuse University Women’s Club, and president of the Parent Teachers’ Organization in Fayetteville. She was a member of Pi Lambda Theta Honor Society, International Reading Association, Council for Exceptional Children, and the International Dyslexia Society.
She is survived by her loving family: her sons John R. Glennon of West Yarmouth, MA and David A. Glennon of Woodstock CT, her step-son William J. Lonsdale of Hillsdale, NY;, granddaughters Caitlin Glennon Collige and Meghan L. Glennon; grandsons Michael V. Glennon Esq., SSgt. Patrick J. Glennon – ANG, and Sam Lonsdale; great-grandson William H. Collige; brother James F. Andrews of Lyman ME, sister-in-law Kathleen Andrews of Port Orange, FL, and their families.
Funeral service will be held at 10 am on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at Athy Memorial Home in Worchester, MA. Interment will follow at St. Johns Cemetery. Donations may be made to Westminster Appreciation Fund, 225 Towerview Dr., St. Augustine, FL 32092
St. Johns Family Funeral Home and Crematory and Athy Memorial Home is in charge of the arrangements.
