In Memoriam
Elfin Snyder - 1915-2007

Word has been received of the death of Elfin Snyder peacefully at her home in Garden City on October 5, 2007.

She was born Edith Louise Finn in Galeon, Ohio on December 6, 1915. Her uncle noticed that her initials E.L. Finn spelled Elfin and she was soon called that name by everyone.

Her father, Albert and mother, Adelaide met in a production of Freckles.

Albert was a stage manager for the Shuberts. When Elfin was three years old, she appeared at the tag end of a chorus line, clad in silk pajamas and twirling a small umbrella. She brought down the house and was immediately stage struck.

At age four, she was cast as Little Mary in Beyond the Horizon with Richard Bennett. At age six she appeared in La Tendresse with Ruth Chatterton, Henry Miller and Ronald Colman and in a musical Plain Jane with Joe Laurie, Jr. She was enrolled in the Professional Children School at age 13 and received her Actors Equity Card (#23,005). At age 15 she was hired by a local radio station performing in murder mysteries and a weekly serialization of The Wizard of Oz. She won a modeling contract with the Walter Thorten agency and appeared on the cover of Women's Home companion. She was later represented by the John Roberts Power Agency.

She appeared in a filmed version of The Scarlet Letter as Hester P{rynne's daughter. She also performed in summer stock appearing in Susan and God at the Ogonquin Playhouse in Maine.

In 1937, she married Fred Snyder. When he was sent to the Pacific area in World War II, she landed a role in Winged Victory. Like many actresses of that era, she served as a hostess at the famed Stage Door Canteen.

After the war, she retired and moved with her husband to Garden City, NY. She became active in community theater and began to write one act plays including Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, Don't Just Stand There - Do Something. Tea for Two Empty Nest. In 1993, her play Dear Children won first prize in a competition sponsored by the Long Island Federation of Women's Clubs. She also continued acting appearing with a local theater group The Garden City Little Theater in their productions of The Women, You Can't Take it With You, The Lila Gambit and Mornings at Seven. She utilized this experience to write a three act play designed specifically for community theaters entitled Those That Play Your Clowns (co-authored by Sal Catania).

After the Little Theater disbanded, she became a member of the Garden City Readers Theater and performed at local libraries and club meetings reading the works of Christopher Morley, James Thurber and Dorothy Parker.

She is survived by her daughter Jo Morris and her husband, Bob, two grandchildren, Pat and Chris and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at Fairchild's Funeral Home in Garden City on November 10th.

Contributions in her memory may be sent to The Little Animal Shelter at 33 Warner Road, Huntington, NY 11743.