Glenn Miller, Deputy Secretary & Commissioner for Libraries

Pennsylvania Department of Education
Office of Commonwealth Libraries
Glenn R. Miller, Deputy Secretary & Commissioner for Libraries
Tuesday, September 17, 2019

                         Gary D. Wolfe Passes Away
I’m very sad to announce that Gary D. Wolfe, Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Libraries from 1995-2003, passed away on Saturday, away on Saturday, September 14, 2019 after many months of declining health.

Gary D. Wolfe

Those among us who knew and worked with Gary will always remember him as a forward-looking leader, a passionate advocate for libraries, a true gentleman and, more than anything else—a librarian’s librarian.

His entire life revolved around libraries beginning as a library page at the Altoona

Area Public Library and concluding with his retirement in 2003 as Deputy Secretary of Education, Commissioner for Libraries, and State Librarian.  During his professional career, Gary worked as the director of the Centre County Library and Central Pennsylvania District Library Center.  He first came to the Office of Commonwealth Libraries as Director of the Bureau of Library Development in 1989 before being appointed by Governor Tom Ridge as State Librarian in 1995.

To learn more about Gary, his life, and many, many achievements, his obituary is available on the funeral home’s website.

A celebration of Gary’s life will take place on Saturday, September 28 at:

Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren
219 Hummel St
Harrisburg, PA 17104
10:00 a.m. Visitation with family
11:00 a.m.  Memorial service
Luncheon immediately following the service in the church.

The Wolfe family requests that any memorial contributions be directed to:

Pennsylvania Library Association Scholarship Fund
220 Cumberland Parkway
Suite 10
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Gary’s life was one of service and love of family, and we were fortunate that he chose to spend his career working to improve Pennsylvania’s libraries.

We all offer our sincere condolences to his wife Susan and their family.

Glenn

Glenn R. Miller | Deputy Secretary & Commissioner for Libraries
Pennsylvania Department of Education | Office of Commonwealth Libraries
333 Market St. | Harrisburg, PA  17101-2210

Phone: 717-783-2466 | www.statelibrary.pa.gov
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This communication is issued on the Deputy Secretary’s behalf by Jonelle Darr, Executive Assistant (jodarr@pa.gov; 717-783-5725).