NEWS REPORTER
ANNA MAE ELICKER SNELBECKER
Anna Mae Elicker was born on December 15, 1908, in West York, PA., the daughter of John W. and Minnie A. Fortney Elicker. She attended first through eight grades in West York Schools, starting in first grade in August of 1914. She was promoted to second grade during the first year. Anna could read before she started school. At thirteen years of age, she was promoted to ninth grade. Just after starting high school, her father’s ill health caused the family to move to the country. He died several years later at the age of 54 from lead poisoning. He painted houses for a living.
Since there were no high schools available in the country, her education was curtailed. While living on the farm, Anna drove a horse and buggy. She never did learn to drive a car. She also drove the horse for corn planting, while using a hayrack, to church, to catechize class, to the store and to work. She worked in a sewing factory and a cigar factory, both in Dover, PA.
Her parents taught her to be a capable and responsible person. Her father told her to learn more than one job so she would never be out of work. Since Anna’s father died when she was only 19, he never lived to see her make cigars or saw her ability to meet new people and draw them into conversation. Her mother taught her sewing, canning, jelly making and cooking.
Anna and Bill Snelbecker were married January 31, 1931 at the Elicker home in Dover. The Reverend George Enders conducted the ceremony. They immediately became a family of four people, with Anna’s mother and her 10-year-old brother, Earl, coming to live with them.
In 1931, Anna and Bill opened a Community Pure Food store in half of their home at 59 S. Main Street, Dover, PA. With the depression looming, they borrowed money to open their business. Times were extremely tough. With long hours and hard work the store survived for 25 years, closing in 1956.
Anna started entering jellies and canned goods in the York Fair in the early 1940’s. Over the years she won hundreds of prizes and she continued this until 1996. One year she won 32 prizes out of 35 entries.
In 1933 York County had a flood. All of this along with everyday responsibilities, culminated in a nervous breakdown later that year.
She had 4 daughters, Helen, Deborah, Doris, Phyllis, and three sons, Glenn E., Leroy, and Robert. In November of 1939 she delivered Richard who lived only six hours. Anna was seriously ill with pneumonia.
Her love of writing began when she was 9 or 10 years old. Inspired by her pastor, the Reverend William Feldmann, she began writing to over 100 service men and women during World War II.
Anna was involved with the “Cheerful Greeting Club” and in the 1930’s Anna and Bill used their basement as a storage place for a clothing bank. In 1969 St. David’s Evangelical Church took over the project.
On May 1954, Anna started a new career as a free-lance newspaper reporter. She wrote for the York Dispatch, York Gazette (now Daily Record), Lancaster Sunday News (now York Sunday News), and Harrisburg Patriot. She continued writing until 1992, teaching herself to type.
Anna eventually filled 33 scrapbooks with her stories. In 1993 Dover Township published a History Book in celebration of 250 years. Twenty-eighty pages were excerpts from Anna’s scrapbooks.
In 2001 the Greater Dover Historical Society was formed. Anna’s scrapbooks are now a part of history.
Ann and Bill formed the Dover Heritage Senior Center and the Dover AARP. In 1978 Anna started working for the Community Progress Council, East College Ave., York, PA. She was also a member of Union Fire & Hose Co. No. 1 Ladies Auxiliary and a volunteer for the Salvation Army.
In 1988 she got a new job with the Community Courier, and learned to use a computer.
Ann was a member of Farm Women Group #30 and American Pen Women.
In 1990 Ann and Bill moved to Kelly Manor, in 1992 Bill had to moved to the nursing section at Kelly Manor.
Ann passed away on September 13, 2002 and burial was in Suburban Memorial Gardens.