Ellen Claire Snyder Dunn

Ellen Dunn passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Vitality Assisted Living in St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she had spent the past year in comfort and contentment. Following a stroke, she worked diligently toward a personal goal—spending several weeks at a rehabilitation facility in Jacksonville, Florida, to regain her mobility and speech. She returned to Vitality feeling stronger and in better health. Just two days later, she lay down for a nap and passed away in her sleep.

Ellen, who had lived at Sea Island for 35 years, was loved by many. She engaged with all people eagerly and easily. She was curious about their stories and became friends with total strangers. Children of all ages were especially drawn to her warmth and spirit.

Ellen Claire Snyder was born on December 18, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York, to Pearl Holmes Snyder and Richard William Snyder. The family originally set out to build a new life in agriculture in what was then the Alaska Territory, but instead settled in Carlton, Minnesota, where they put down lasting roots. Ellen attended Carlton High School and went on to St. Cloud State University, where she was elected president of her sorority and crowned Homecoming Queen in 1965.

While Ellen was working as a “salad girl” at Breezy Point, a resort in Northern Minnesota, she met and fell in love with a lifeguard, Mike Dunn. They married in 1967 and moved to Woodside, California where Mike attended graduate school while Ellen worked as a lower school teacher. She maintained lifelong connections with many former students.

Ellen’s father owned a greenhouse business in Minnesota, so gardening came naturally to her and remained one of her greatest passions throughout her life. She was a longtime member of the Sea Island Garden Group. Ellen was also an excellent cook and loved family gatherings. The family favorites that will be missed the most are her Lemon Meringue Pie, Brownies, Italian Lemon Ice, Crab Rolls and Veal Prosciutto.

Over the years, the family lived in homes that reflected Ellen’s keen eye for design and her natural talent for decorating. She had a gift for selecting colors, furnishings, and fabrics that created warmth and beauty. Those skills were also evident in her captivating style, as she was always elegant in her appearance.

Ellen, AKA “Gram” was a devoted supporter of middle and high school sports at Frederica Academy, where all five of her grandchildren are students and athletes. Not only was she a fan and cheerleader at all of their games, she was even known to attend their practices.

Ellen had a lifelong love of sports and was an accomplished amateur tennis player in her younger years. The family spent many winters skiing together, and Ellen was a graceful skier—first on Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minnesota, and later on the trails in Colorado.

She also enjoyed playing golf at Sea Island and Ocean Forest. At home, Ellen typically chose sports as the background noise and enjoyed cheering on her favorite teams.

Ellen is survived by her two sons and grandchildren: Patrick (Susan) and grandchildren—Patrick, Jr., Lauren, and Catherine; and Kevin (Valerie) and grandchildren George and Elizabeth, all of Saint Simons Island. She is also survived by four siblings, all of Minnesota: Bill Snyder (Paula) of Stillwater, Robert Snyder (Carrie) of Eden Prairie, Bruce Snyder (Newt) of Carlton and Beth Tesler (Lou) of Chaska. Her sister, Susan Snyder, predeceased her. She was predeceased by her former husband of 35 years, Mike Dunn. The family wishes to thank Bettye Costic and all of Ellen’s friends for their acts of kindness that mostly went unnoticed.

Ellen will be celebrated in a service at Wesley United Methodist Church, 6520 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, Georgia on Thursday, May 22 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers please make a gift to the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Georgia, P.O. Box 1193, Brunswick, GA 31520 or www.bgcsega.com/donate.