Edward Joseph Streeter

Edward Streeter

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6666645/edward-streeter

Streeter sometimes credited as E. Streeter, was an American novelist and journalist, best known for the 1949 novel Father of the Bride and his Dere Mable series.

Biography

Streeter was born in Buffalo, New York, and educated at Harvard University where he edited The Harvard Lampoon. He began his career as a reporter for the Buffalo newspaper the Buffalo Express as a war correspondent and travel writer. He grew in notoriety with his "Dere Mable" letters, a humorous column from an undereducated soldier writing home. Serialized between 1917 and 1919 in the 27th (NY) Division's magazine Gas Attack, they were inspired by Streeters' time spent on an army base (Camp Wadsworth, near Spartanburg South Carolina during World War I. The humorous letters were compiled in 1919 in Streeters' full-length books "Dere Mable," "Thats me all over, Mable", and "Same old Bill, eh Mable".

After returning home from the war, Streeter pursued writing casually, deciding to focus on his work as a businessman. For eight years he served as assistant vice president, before transitioning to the Fifth Avenue Bank (later, The Bank of New York) in New York City, where he served as vice president for twenty-five years.

While serving as vice president of the bank, Streeter published short stories and articles in magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post and McCall's. In 1938, he published his first novel, Daily Except Sundays. In 1944 he was elected to The Century Association, and remained a member for 32 years. His next novel, the 1949 comic satire Father of the Bride, became an instant bestseller and was listed among The New York Times' list of bestselling novels for the year. The following year's successful film adaptation starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor spawned multiple remakes, sequels, and a television series.

After his breakthrough success, Streeter continued to write successful novels. Of the most notable of his subsequent works are Mr. Hobbs' Vacation (1954, filmed in 1962), Merry Christmas, Mr. Baxter (1956), Mr. Robbins Rides Again (1958), and Chairman of the Bored (1961). He also wrote two non-fiction books about his European travels: Skoal Scandinavia (1952) and Along the Ridge (1964). He finished his writing career with 1969's grim semi-autobiographical Ham Martin, Class of '17.

Streeter died on March 31, 1976, in New York City.

Bibliography:

• "Dere Mable" (1918)
• "Thats me all over, Mable" (1919)
• "Same old Bill, eh Mable" (1919)
• Daily Except Sunday (1938)
• Father of the Bride (1949)
• Skoal Scandinavia (1952)
• Mr. Hobbs' Vacation (1954)
• Merry Christmas, Mr. Baxter (1956)
• Mr. Robbins Rides Again (1957)
• Window on America (1957)
• Chairman of the Bored (1961)
• Along the Ridge (1964)
• Ham Martin, Class of '17 (1969)

Name Edward Streeter
Gender Male
Marriage Date 29 Oct 1919
Marriage Place Buffalo, New York, USA
Spouse Charlotte L. Warren
Certificate Number 42879

New York State, Marriage Index, 1881-1967

Name Edward Streeter
Gender Male
Birth Date 1 August 1891
Death Date 31 March 1976
SSN 130XXXXXX
Enlistment Date 26 March 1916
Discharge Date 4 December 1917
Page Number 1

U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010