The Glattfelter family rallies around this symbol every year in a mammoth reunion at the family picnic grounds at Glatfelter Station. The distinguished family lost two of its most distinguished members in the past week – historian Charles H. Glatfelter and philanthropist Art Glatfelter. (See slideshow of photographs of Art Glatfelter below.) Also of interest: What family has at least 8 ways to spell its name?

Art Glatfelter, the insurance exec and leading York County philanthropist passed away this week, leaving many people with memorable stories to tell about his life and times.

I have one, told in this post: Glatfelter, Farquhar, Shipley: Insights from local greats. It’s a story about how he earned money hanging around his family’s auto service garage growing up in Loganville, as told in a speech:

“He would drain remaining drops from discarded oil containers into a common container. Some drops here and some there, and pretty soon he had a quart of oil that he could sell at 100 percent profit.

“Years later, he built Glatfelter Insurance, in part, by taking to the road, covering fire companies and other emergency responders with insurance. One by one. Now, thousands.”

York County will miss this generous man. Perhaps we can borrow from the headline on a story about his war dog, Pal: “Forever a hero and Pal.” We’ll put forth: Art Glatfelter, forever a hero and friend of York.

Here are past writings about this philanthropist, from ydr.com’s “Arthur Glatfelter Jr., founder of Glatfelter Insurance Group, dies at age 88” (the first link is a full-length profile):

 

More about Arthur Glatfelter Jr.

“Whether they discuss the philanthropist or the pocketbook philosopher, the self-made insurance mogul or the ruthless business leader, the aggressive lobbyist or the tender family man, no one not even the toughest critics will deny that giving is in “A.J.” Glatfelter's nature.”–From the profile “The gifts of power,” by Mike Abrams, York Daily Record, Feb. 2, 1996The gifts of power February 15, 2013 · ydr.com · York, PA – No saying or short story is too good for Arthur J. …

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