STAGE NAME: Edna Foster
INDUSTRY NICKNAME: Little Billy (Mostly played roles as a boy)
BIRTH NAME: Edna C. Foster DOB: 1900 BIRTH PLACE: Boston, Massachusetts
I read somewhere that her middle name is Chapman, but can not confirm that. Some documents on Ancestry have her brother Louis using Chapman as a middle name.
DOD: 1983? PLACE OF DEATH: New York, NY CAUSE OF DEATH: unknown
CEMETERY: Ferncliff Cemetery & Mausoleum (Hartsdale, NY)?
There is an Edna Foster buried on April 13, 1983 at Ferncliff Cemetery (same Cemetery as her mother). However, there is no gravestone. There is only a grave marker to where she is buried. No birthdate or exact death date is on file. A William T. Head Garrison is the only other name on her file. File does not specify who he is. Ferncliff Cemetery suggested I call Benta's Funeral Home NY as they may have more information since she was prepared there. I called Benta's Funeral Home and they were not able to find a file on Edna Foster in their database. They would need a file number in order to look further into their basement archives.
FAMILY
PARENTS MARRIED: 1893 DIVORCED: c1910
FATHER: Conrad Houteling Foster DOB: March 21, 1875 BIRTH PLACE: Boston, Massachusetts
DOD: April 3, 1940 PLACE OF DEATH: Traverse City, Michigan CAUSE OF DEATH: N/A CEMETERY: Oakwood Cemetery (Traverse City, Michigan)
OCCUPATION: Owner, Lexington Theatre in Chicago, Mayor of Traverse City, Michigan (1937-1939)
MOTHER MAIDEN NAME: Annie Louise Ramsell DOB: October 26, 1874 BIRTH PLACE: Boston, Massachusetts
DOD: 1945 PLACE OF DEATH: New York CAUSE OF DEATH: N/A
CEMETERY: Ferncliff Cemetery & Mausoleum (Hartsdale, NY)
FATHER'S 2ND MARRIAGE
Somewhere about 1910, Conrad & Annie divorced. Conrad married his second wife Anna Blanche Gagnon in 1916. They had a daughter Helen Estelle Foster.
EDNA'S SIBLINGS (3)
BROTHER: Louis Charles Foster or Louis Chapman Foster (There are documents that use both middle names)
DOB: December 11, 1895 BIRTH PLACE: Boston, Massachusetts
DOD: July 15, 1958 PLACE OF DEATH: New York CAUSE OF DEATH: N/A CEMETERY: Long Island National Cemetery (New York)
SISTER: Flora Louise Foster DOB: March 4, 1898 BIRTH PLACE: Boston, Massachusetts
DOD: September 21, 1914 CAUSE OF DEATH: Heart Failure
HALF SISTER: Helen Estelle Foster DOB: July 12, 1917 BIRTH PLACE: Green Bay, Wisconsin
DOD: September 22, 2011 PLACE OF DEATH: Traverse City, Michigan
Helen married Mac Richard Keene in 1937.
EDNA'S MARRIAGES
MARRIED: March 9, 1921 DIVORCED: January 6, 1927
SPOUSE NAME: Frank Otto Schleip DOB: TBD BIRTH PLACE: TBD
DOD: TBD PLACE OF DEATH: TBD CAUSE OF DEATH: TBD
By 1925, Edna is separated from Frank and going by her maiden name Foster. They legally divorce in 1927 with Edna siting "extreme cruelty" and "desertion". Frank is remarried to Grace W. Chandler on 8/6/1927.
EDNA'S CHILDREN (1)
DAUGHTER: Anna Carella DOB: 1927 BIRTH PLACE: New York, NY
Unclear who Edna had a child with. Carella is possibly last name of new husband.
Per a 1940 obituary for Edna's father Conrad, it lists surviving daughters and only states Edna of NY.
Per a 1940 census, Edna Carella is listed as the head of the household with mother Anna Foster and daughter Anna Carella. Census says she is "married", but no husband was listed. Occupation: Clerk and Industry: Wholesale Brad. I could find no further info on Edna Carella or her daughter.