CrossCuts IN MEMORIAM BURT SNIFFEN FEB. 12, 1931 — APRIL 11, 2019
The ice arena industry lost one of its pioneers, Burton Leander (Burt) Sniffen, 88, on April 11. Burt and his wife, Judy, worked as a team for nearly 30 years manag- ing Beaver Dam Winter Sports Club in Locust Valley, N.Y.
Burt, an electrician, was known as a mechanical and operations wizard who meticulously maintained the club’s equipment, plant and facilities. His knowledge, expertise and helping nature made him a sought-after problem solver among his many friends in the industry. Burt was an original member of the Metropolitan Ice Rink Managers Association (MIRMA) and a regular ISI conference attendee long after his retirement.
“Burt was a pioneer in our industry as well as a true gentleman,” said ISI President Rob McBride. “He
had battled health issues for some years in the same fearless and dignified way in which he approached everything in life. We will truly miss his knowledge, talents and friendship … Judy’s strength and perseverance by Burt’s side has been an inspiration to us all and the best example we could ever have of the power of human goodness and love.”
MIRMA Past President Richard Arenella said: “He was the master of all the mechanical equipment that made an arena operational. He knew so much and was always available to help those with the everyday mechanical problems that challenge an arena. His knowledge gained him respect, but his wit and smile gained him the love of everyone he met. No one had a bad day in the presence of Burt. I will never forget Burt and the great times we had at his house, dinners out and the many conferences around the country.”
“I first met Burt when I went to work in New York in 1974,” added former ISI Executive Director Peter Martell. “Burt and Judy were staples at the newly formed Metropolitan Rink Managers Association meetings, a commitment that has continued to this day.
“Not only was Burt one of the genuinely nicest guys you could ever meet, but he was also the first to lend a helping hand or expert advice on any mechanical problem you might have. He was truly a
Burt’s machine room and ice at Beaver Dam Winter Sports Club in Locust Valley, N.Y. (Burt was proud of his work!)
mechanical wizard. With Burt’s passing, the ice rink industry has lost another unique personality who helped so many of us throughout the years and made both the industry and the world a better place to be. May Burt’s path to Heaven be as smooth as the ice he made for so many years!”
Burt Sniffen Memorial Scholarship Fund
One of Burt’s passions was educating the next generation, according to ISI 2nd
Vice President Lisa
Fedick, who has created the Burt Sniffen Memorial Scholarship fund through MIRMA in honor of Burt’s memory. The funds will be used to support the education and/or continuing education of ice area professionals and will not be limited to formal col- legiate studies. Fedick has pledged $1,000 on behalf of Wonderland of Ice.
“Burt’s infectious smile, mischievous grin and those movie-star, bright eyes — what a life, what a legacy! Burt’s last day on earth was spent doing what he loved most, being Mr. Judith Sniffen and attending a MIRMA meeting,” said Fedick. “Godspeed my dear friend, Burt. I heard Heaven just restocked their medium-rare prime steak, finest red wine and Cuban cigars.”
Zamboni Company Regional Sales Manager Doug Peters shared that he had just been thinking about Burt prior to hearing the news of his passing. “Burt was a wonderful man,” he said. “He was just on my mind while walking through a refrigeration room where they had it clean and color coded. It was nice to see someone trying to emulate Burt’s standards.”
James L. Brundige, airport director for the Town of East Hampton Airport, recalled that trips to Beaver Dam Sports Club were always enhanced by a visit with Burt. “He was one of those folks who made you feel like you were the most important person on earth. Burt was an avid aviation enthusiast with a hobby of building and flying remote controlled aircraft. We always talked about aviation, and I was intrigued to learn how difficult it was to control those model aircraft. And he enjoyed listening to my experiences flying for the airlines. We were good friends and a trip to Beaver Dam wasn’t complete without spending time with Burt. He will be missed.”
In addition to Judy, his wife of 63 years, Burt’s survivors include: a daughter, Judith Doyle; a son, Mark; three grandchildren (Stephanie Gai, Mark Evan and Kimberly Doyle); three great-grandchildren (Sydney, Cali and Ellie); and his sister Gertrude Cohen. He was predeceased by his sister Adelaide Arce. Memorial services for Burt were held April 13 in Oyster Bay, N.Y.
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