Mrs. Neysa Adams, a former resident of Elkins Park, former chair of the local United Fund women’s committee, former president of the Rebecca Gratz Club, onetime vice president of the women’s council for the Federation of Jewish Agencies, former associate trustee at the University of Pennsylvania, scientist, and high school teacher, passed away Friday, June 26, of heart disease in Philadelphia. She was 104 years old.

Mrs. Adams graduated from Olney High School and went on to earn a degree in biochemistry with honors at Penn. She taught English and history for two years at Philadelphia High School for Girls, according to her obituary.

Alongside her husband, Arlin, who was a United States circuit judge, she met Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II, and U.S. Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Nixon.

Later in life, she and her husband established the Arlin & Neysa Adams Lectureship and the Neysa and Arlin Adams Prize for excellence in prelaw studies at Temple University, among other endowments. She also established the Neysa Adams’ Library Fund at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park.

In 2003, then-Gov. Ed Rendell recognized her as a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania for her “outstanding service and contributions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

She was featured by 6ABC last August on her 104th birthday. Check out the clip below:

A celebration of her life is to be at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, 8339 Old York Rd., Elkins Park, Pa. 19027.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Screengrab: 6ABC