Gladys Spellman

American politician (1918–1988)

Gladys Noon Spellman

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 5th district
In office
January 3, 1975 – February 24, 1981
Preceded by| Lawrence Hogan
Succeeded by| Steny Hoyer
Personal details
Born|

Gladys Blossom Noon

(1918-03-02)March 2, 1918
New York City, U.S.
Died| June 19, 1988(1988-06-19) (aged 70)
Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Resting place| Arlington National Cemetery
Political party| Democratic
Spouse| Reuben Spellman
Children| 3
Alma mater| George Washington University
Graduate School USA

Gladys Noon Spellman (born Gladys Blossom Noon; March 2, 1918 – June 19, 1988)[1] was an American educator who served as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 5th congressional district from January 3, 1975, to February 24, 1981, when her seat was declared vacant after she fell into a coma the previous year. She was a member of the Democratic Party.[1]

## Early life

[edit]

Spellman was born Gladys Blossom Noon in New York City and attended Eastern High School and Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C.[2] She graduated from George Washington University and the graduate school within the United States Department of Agriculture.

Spellman began her career as an elementary school teacher, teaching in Prince George's County, Maryland, schools. A consummate politician, Spellman was part of the wave of young, new suburban dwellers who moved to Prince George's County from Washington and elsewhere in the years after World War II, and that group remained her constituency throughout her political career.

## Teacher and county politician

[edit]

During the 1950s and 1960s, Spellman was a teacher and president of the PTA for Happy Acres Elementary School (renamed the Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School in 1991),a civic association activist as a young mother and housewife in Cheverly as well as chairwoman of the National Mental Health Study Center. Her activities led to leadership positions in the reform movement that seized control of the Prince George's County government during the 1960s, ousting the old guard Democratic organization that had managed affairs in Prince George's for decades.

Spellman was active in the fight for a home rule charter form of government for Prince George's.[3] In 1962, running on a reform slate, she served as a member of the Prince George's County Board of Commissioners from 1962 to 1970. She served two years as chairman, effectively the head of the county's government. After the establishment of the County Council, Spellman served as councilwoman at large from 1971 to 1974. She was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations in 1967 and was awarded the highest honor that could be bestowed by county officials nationwide when she became the first woman elected president of the National Association of Counties in 1972.

## Congress

[edit]

Spellman easily won the Democratic primary nomination in September 1974 for Maryland's fifth congressional seat, and went on to defeat the Republican, John B. Burcham, Jr., in the general election. While in Congress, she served on the Committee on Banking, Currency and Housing, the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service (including serving as chairperson of the Subcommittee on Compensation and Employee Benefits). Almost 40 percent of the work force in her district was employed by the federal government – the highest percentage of any congressional district in the nation.

In 1977, Spellman favored legislation to establish a bank to make loans to cooperatives owned by consumers as well as legislation to extend the federal revenue-sharing program. She also voted for the 1975 proposal authorizing $7 billion to loan guarantees for the financially troubled New York City.[4] Spellman also resisted placing restrictions on hiring or promotion of federal employees and opposed Jimmy Carter's plan to reform the civil service system in 1978.[4]

## Honors

[edit]

In 1979, the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Spellman's name and picture.[5] In 1985, Spellman was an inductee to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, part of its inaugural class.

The Baltimore–Washington Parkway, a scenic north–south highway in Maryland, is dedicated to Spellman, as is Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School, located in Cheverly, Maryland.

## Personal life

[edit]

Spellman lived in Laurel, Maryland, with husband Reuben Spellman, with whom she had three children: Stephen, Richard, and Dana Spellman O’Neill. She was Jewish.[6]

### Coma and aftermath

[edit]

On October 31, 1980, Spellman was judging a Halloween costume contest at the Laurel Mall when she had an incapacitating heart attack.[7] Her heart briefly stopped beating.[8] Five days later, on November 4, she was re-elected to Congress with 80% of the vote against a little-known Republican opponent, but it soon became clear that she would be comatose for the rest of her life.

In the first weeks of the 97th Congress, the House passed a resolution providing for Spellman's pay as if she had been seated, and for her Congressional office to be supported as if a member of Congress had died or resigned.[9] When it became clear she was permanently incapacitated and unlikely to recover, the House passed an act declaring the 5th District seat vacant. As a result, Spellman's pay and administrative support was scheduled to be terminated upon the election of someone to her seat.[10] It is the only time that medical reasons have resulted in the House of Representatives declaring a seat vacant.[11] Thirty-two candidates from both parties entered the race, including her husband, Reuben. He was defeated for the Democratic nomination by Steny Hoyer,[12] who won the special election on May 19 against the Republican nominee, Bowie mayor Audrey Scott. Hoyer has continued to be re-elected since then, and eventually became House Majority Leader.

Spellman never regained consciousness and died in a Maryland nursing home on June 19, 1988, after nearly eight years in a coma.[8] She and her husband are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[13][14]

## See also

[edit]

* Biography portal
* United States portal
* Politics portal
* Maryland portal

* List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
* List of United States representatives from Maryland
* Women in the United States House of Representatives

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Barnes, Bart (June 19, 1988). "Former Md. Representative Gladys N. Spellman, 70, Dies". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
2. ^ "Gladys Noon Spellman , MSA SC 3520-2129". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
3. ^ "Biographies - Gladys Noon Spellman". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
4. ^ a b Women in Congress, 1917–1990 I. Submitted to Congress Mrs Lindy Boggs. Washington DC: Diane Publishing. ISBN 0-7881-4256-9
5. ^ Wulf, Steve (March 23, 2015). "Supersisters: Original Roster". Espn.go.com. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
6. ^ Kaplan Appel, Tamar (February 27, 2009). "Gladys Noon Spellman". Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
7. ^ "Spellman still in critical condition". The Palm Beach Post. November 3, 1980. p. A12.
8. ^ a b "Ex-Rep. Gladys N. Spellman Dies After Being in Coma for 8 Years". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 20, 1988. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
9. ^ "H.Res.41 – A resolution providing compensation in lieu of salary and office administrative support to Gladys Noon Spellman". congress.gov. 97th Congress. January 27, 1981. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
10. ^ "H.Res.80 – A resolution declaring a vacancy in the Fifth Congressional District in the state of Maryland". congress.gov. 97th Congress. February 24, 1981. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
11. ^ Beam, Christopher (January 11, 2011). "Fit To Serve: Could Gabrielle Giffords be forced to resign for health reasons?". Slate.com. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
12. ^ Wilgoren, Jody (January 26, 1998). "Widows of Bono, Capps Are on Well-Worn Path to Office". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
13. ^ Brooks, Alicia (March 13, 2006). "Gladys Noon Spellman (1918–1988)". Maryland Archives. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
14. ^ "File:Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (18678489024).jpg", Wikipedia, retrieved August 6, 2021

## External links

[edit]

* United States Congress. "Gladys Spellman (id: S000716)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

Preceded by

Lawrence Hogan

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 5th congressional district
January 3, 1975 – February 24, 1981  | Succeeded by

Steny Hoyer

* v
* t
* e

Maryland's delegation(s) to the 94th–97th United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)

| 94th |

Senate:

* ▌C. Mathias (R)
* ▌J. G. Beall (R)

House:

* ▌C. Long (D)
* ▌G. Gude (R)
* ▌G. Byron (D)
* ▌P. Mitchell (D)
* ▌P. Sarbanes (D)
* ▌M. Holt (R)
* ▌R. Bauman (R)
* ▌G. Spellman (D)

|
|

95th |

Senate:

* ▌C. Mathias (R)
* ▌P. Sarbanes (D)

House:

* ▌C. Long (D)
* ▌G. Byron (D)
* ▌P. Mitchell (D)
* ▌M. Holt (R)
* ▌R. Bauman (R)
* ▌G. Spellman (D)
* ▌B. Mikulski (D)
* ▌N. Steers (R)

96th |

Senate:

* ▌C. Mathias (R)
* ▌P. Sarbanes (D)

House:

* ▌C. Long (D)
* ▌P. Mitchell (D)
* ▌M. Holt (R)
* ▌R. Bauman (R)
* ▌G. Spellman (D)
* ▌B. Mikulski (D)
* ▌M. Barnes (D)
* ▌B. Byron (D)

97th |

Senate:

* ▌C. Mathias (R)
* ▌P. Sarbanes (D)

House:

* ▌C. Long (D)
* ▌P. Mitchell (D)
* ▌M. Holt (R)
* ▌G. Spellman (D)
* ▌B. Mikulski (D)
* ▌M. Barnes (D)
* ▌B. Byron (D)
* ▌R. Dyson (D)
* ▌S. Hoyer (D)

* v
* t
* e

Maryland Women's Hall of Fame

1980s

| 1985|

* Margaret Brent
* Rachel Carson
* Rita C. Davidson
* Gladys Spellman
* Harriet Tubman

|

1986|

* Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson
* Elizabeth Ann Seton
* Henrietta Szold
* Jeanette Rosner Wolman
* Hiltgunt Zassenhaus

1987|

* Clara Barton
* Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
* Juanita Jackson Mitchell
* Mary Shaw Shorb
* Helen B. Taussig

1988|

* Barbara Mikulski
* Sadie Kneller Miller
* Mary Eliza Risteau
* Martha Carey Thomas
* Verda Welcome

1989|

* Bertha Adkins
* Eugenie Clark
* Lavinia Engle
* Lena King Lee
* Estelle R. Ramey

1990s

| 1990|

* Lucille Maurer
* Enolia McMillan
* Pauli Murray
* Adele Hagner Stamp
* Mary Lemist Titcomb

|

1991|

* Rita R. Colwell
* Mary Elizabeth Lange
* Claire McCardell
* Bessie Moses
* Alta Schrock

1992|

* Annie Armstrong
* Anna Ella Carroll
* Rose Kushner
* Margaret Collins Schweinhaut
* Carmen Delgado Votaw

1993|

* Rosalyn Blake Bell
* Lucille Clifton
* Elizabeth King Ellicott
* Jean Spencer
* Martha Ellicott Tyson

1994|

* Rosalie Silber Abrams
* Mary Elizabeth Banning
* Harriet Elizabeth Brown
* Connie Morella
* Mary Adelaide Nutting

1995|

* Jill Moss Greenberg
* Mary L. Nock
* Amanda Taylor Norris
* Nettie Barcroft Taylor
* Euphemia Mary Goldsborough Willson

1996|

* Madeleine L. Ellicott
* Ethel Ennis
* Mary Digges Lee
* Brigid G. Leventhal
* Barbara A. Robinson

1997|

* Diane L. Adams
* Sol del Ande Mendez Eaton
* Catherine R. Gira
* Helen L. Koss
* Rosa Ponselle

1998|

* Constance Ross Beims
* Mary Katharine Goddard
* Elaine Ryan Hedges
* Mary Carter Smith

1999|

* Florence Riefle Bahr
* Lillian C. Compton
* Edith Houghton Hooker
* Elizabeth Fran Johnson
* Bernice Smith White

2000s

| 2000|

* Constance Uriolo Battle
* Lois Green Carr
* Sonia Pressman Fuentes
* Josephine Jacobsen
* Rosetta Stith

|

2001|

* Kathleen Feeley
* Misbah Khan
* Charmaine Krohe
* Eunice Kennedy Shriver
* Sandra W. Tomlinson

2002|

* Mabel Houze Hubbard
* Florence P. Kendall
* Mary Young Pickersgill
* Lorraine Sheehan

2003|

* Virginia Walcott Beauchamp
* Edith Clarke
* Kathryn J. DuFour
* Ruth L. Kirschstein
* Etta Haynie Maddox
* Debbie Yow

2004|

* Edmonson sisters
* Nancy Grasmick
* Esther McCready
* Margaret Byrd Rawson
* Vivian V. Simpson

2005|

* Shoshana Shoubin Cardin
* Bessie Olive Cole
* Susan R. Panny
* Edyth H. Schoenrich

2006|

* Susan Pardee Baker
* Liebe Sokol Diamond
* Bea Gaddy
* Marilyn Hughes Gaston
* Rebecca Alban Hoffberger
* Grace Snively

2007|

* Annette M.Deener
* Sally T. Grant
* Prasanna Nair
* Karen H. Rothenberg
* Audrey E. Scott

2008|

* Ramona McCarthy Hawkins
* Ellen Moses Heller
* Billie Holiday
* Pauline Menes
* Toby Orenstein
* Emily Wilson Walker

2009|

* Ilia Fehrer
* Diane Griffin
* Harriet Legum
* Allyson R. Solomon
* Anne St. Clair Wright

2010s

| 2010|

* Claire M. Fraser
* Anne Catherine Hoof Green
* Irene Morgan Kirkaldy
* Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps
* Bernice R. Sandler
* Lillie D. Shockney

|

2011|

* Carol W. Greider
* Barbara Holdridge
* Ligia Peralta
* Gertrude Poe
* Lucy Diggs Slowe
* June A. Willenz

2012|

* Maureen Black
* Margaret Dunkle
* Nancy Kopp
* Alice Manicur
* Diana Gribbon Motz
* Gwendolyn Rooks

2013|

* Helen Delich Bentley
* Jean B. Cryor
* Charlene Dukes
* Ellen Sauerbrey
* Linda A. Shevitz
* Beatrice P. Tignor

2014|

* Dorothy F. Bailey
* Agnes Kane Callum
* Renee E. Fox
* Susan K. Goering
* Henrietta Lacks
* Ann Cipriano Rees

2015|

* Beverly B. Byron
* E. Gail de Planque
* Mary S. Feik
* Katherine O'Brien
* Linda L. Singh
* Sue Fryer Ward

2016|

* Sophia Arabatzis Balis
* Oretha Bridgwaters-Simms
* Mary C. Goodwillie
* Elaine Danforth Harmon
* Joanne Katz
* Lizette Woodworth Reese

2017|

* Marsha Coleman-Adebayo
* Carolyn Colvin
* Donna Edwards
* Mary Garrett
* Katharine Blodgett Gebbie
* Katie Ledecky
* Helen Maroulis
* Lilian Welsh

2018|

* Sandra I. Barnes
* Sandra Williams Ortega
* Emily Saunders Plummer
* Rita L. Robinson
* Hattie N. Washington

2019|

* Marielsa A. Bernard
* Augusta T. Chissell
* Dominique Dawes
* Virginia Hall
* Rosa Gumataotao Rios
* Evelyn Williams Townsend
* Phyllis B. Trickett
* Pauline Woo Tsui

2020s

| 2020|

* Victorine Q. Adams
* Evelyn O. A. Darden
* Claire Parkinson
* Nancy Roman
* Leslie R. Wolfe

|

2021|

* Elizabeth Bobo
* Margaret Hawkins
* Ruby Reese Moone
* Nancy K. Welker
* Celeste Revillon Winans

2022|

* Dorothy Blum
* Mary L. Cleave
* Gloria Richardson
* Beatrice Rodgers
* Odessa M. Shannon

2023|

* Janeen L. Birckhead
* Charlotte M. Cooksey
* Ana Sol Gutierrez
* Gloria G. Lawlah
* Jackie Ronne

2024|

* Adrienne A. Jones
* Susan C. Lee
* Brooke Lierman
* Aruna Miller
* Nancy Pelosi

2025|

* Donna Abbott
* Maggie McIntosh
* Joseline Peña-Melnyk
* Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

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