Arthur Reisman

April 2nd, 2026

I met Art in 1966 when I took a job at East Leyden High School. I found the teachers at Leyden to be a very socialable group and soon came to regard Art as a friend as well as a colleague. When I struggled to gain my footing as a 1st year teacher, Art was there to advise and guide me. He even taught one of my classes for a day to illustrate some techniques for me. In retrospect, I’m not sure I would have survived my 1st year without his help. So in a sense, I owe my entire career to him. In addition, we had many good times over the years at faculty parties and over dinner.

Later in my career, I suffered a mid career crisis and was becoming disillusioned with teaching. Once again, Art was my salvation. We team taught for several years, and working with him inspired me to become a better teacher and revitalized my career. I think I expressed my gratitude to him, and I hope he knew how much he helped me.

I know he was also a great helper and mentor to many other teachers and students. He was indeed a very special friend and educator. We all miss him.

~James Callister
~Friend/colleague, Elmhurst

March 31st, 2026

Art was my close, dear friend and counselor. I had been thinking of him lately but I failed to pick up the phone. I gasped aloud when I read that he died. I guess I thought he would always be here. I’m so sorry , Art. You were one of a kind. I so admired and appreciated you. You cared about people , including me, in the deepest, kindest , most sincere way. That I will never, ever forget. And I will never forget your wisdom as we talked and talked. You supported me in the best of times and the worst of times for me. You were a fantastic teacher who also gave love and counsel to your students.. Your door was always open to them. Rest in peace,,dear friend. You have my love and respect for eternity . Janet
My sincere condolences to Art’s family whom he never tired of talking about. What a blessing you were to him and him to you.

~Janet Barkley
~Friend through Leyden, Oak Park, Illinois

March 31st, 2026

Let me begin by stating the obvious, there are many fine educators, and they have my utmost respect for having chosen such a noble path. That said, Mr. Reisman was much more than an educator. He was a man driven to make a difference in the lives of others, even when they weren’t yet aware of his plans. And that he did! I had been failing, not just in school but at life in general and for reasons unknown to me, I somehow ended up on his radar. To this day I’m still not sure how that happened……….but I thank God that it did! He took over as my guidance counselor and put me in his class, “Psychology of Persuasion” me, a stubborn kid from Schiller Park who distained school and especially reading. Trust me when I say that I tried to resist but, in the end, I was no match for this man who ultimately won my trust, my respect and then my best effort. I found myself reading books, lots of them. Books like The Catcher in the Rye, The Pig Man, The Outsiders, That Was Then and This Is Now, Of Mice and Men and Lord of the Flies. I couldn’t wait to get back to school and discuss what I had read, and to relate what I was feeling. I’m not sure how he did it, but somehow Mr. Reisman not only found the time to listen to us all, but to help us grow. I will never forget the day he set the hook! He said, “forget all the BS you’ve been taught, that’s just memorization and in the end, you will never use any of it”. Instead, he said, “let me teach you how to learn” and just like that, he had won me over. I used what he taught from that day forward and it has served me well throughout my life. I refused to fail, and he was a major part of my transformation. I think of him often, remember him fondly and wish he knew the impact he made on my life. I will end with this, when the news of this amazing man’s passing reached me, I was instantly taken back to the memories I’ve just shared, I was deeply moved and felt like a piece of me had been lost. To say he was special would be an understatement. Thank you Art Reisman, from the bottom of my heart, and thank you to his family for sharing him with us. Until we meet again!

~John Lisner
~student 75/76, Batavia, IL

March 31st, 2026

I only knew Art as a classmate at Sullivan High School. I was very shy and sensitive. But Art,=also known as Arthur by his teachers- was always smiling and happy and greeted all students with genuine kindness and a smile and good word no matter your social placement or background. He was a Mensch- a person who made everyone feel intelligent and strong- a person who made the world a more positive and finer place every day of his life.

~Eleanor Prince
~Classmate at Sullivan High School, Chicago, Illinois

March 29th, 2026

Kind. Creative. Often made us laugh! My dad would say Art was “a teacher’s teacher.” Halloween, a highlight every year with his outrageously witty costumes. Thankfully we enjoyed many occasions including Leyden’s Centennial Gala just last year. With Eagle Loyalty and Love, The Leese Family 💛 🦅

~Stephanie Leese Emrich
~East Leyden – family friend, Chicago

March 28th, 2026

May he rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing.

~Marcia J. Schwartz
~Classmate, Berkeley

March 27th, 2026

Art has been a good friend, super teacher (winning an award) and an excellent mentor. He was also a very patient friend of my late husband who tended to be late for golf. He loved sharing those stories with me. On the other hand, my husband made up for it in the dental office with excellent treatment. He was loved by many and will be missed by everyone.
Marilyn Sommerfeld
p.s. Love to Averil , and the rest of the family

~marilyn sommerfeld
~dear longtime friend since 1958, Deerfield, Illinois