Margot C. Chrystal

Margot C. Chrystal of Larchmont, NY, died in Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, CT, on November 16, 2019 following complications from a routine medical procedure. She was 68. Margot was married for 45 years to Peter D. Schnur. She is the mother of Caitlin C. Schnur of Washington, D.C., and Scott T. Schnur (Cara E. Curtis) of Atlanta, GA.

Margot was born August 12, 1951, in Glen Cove, NY. She attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, and graduated from the University of Toledo in Toledo, OH, with a B.A. in English literature. She received her J.D. from Fordham Law School in New York, NY.

Margot and her family moved to Larchmont, NY, in 1993. There, Margot raised her family, building a loving and welcoming home. Margot was an advocate who practiced family law in New York City, worked for FEMA, and volunteered at the Better Business Bureau and for the Medicare Rights Center’s “Medicare Minute” program. Margot served on the Altar Guild of St. John’s Episcopal Church and as secretary for the Kemper Memorial Park Preservation Fund.

Margot was funny, kind, intelligent, and tenacious. She loved to laugh and spin stories with family and friends, read, write short poems, and attend Broadway shows. Margot could be the life of the party: Despite decreased mobility, she closed out the dance floor at her son’s wedding. Margot’s friends will remember her as a deeply honest person and caring listener. She openly shared her experiences with depression and made space for others to share their life challenges with her. She always showed kindness to animals and felt kinship with them, from gerbils to elephants. Margot maintained lifelong friendships and was adored by many of her children’s friends, who saw her as a second mom. She loved and was loved fiercely.

Margot is survived by her husband, children, and daughter-in-law; sisters Sally Durand (Whitney Durand) of Chattanooga, TN, and Diantha Thorpe of North Haven, CT; brother Dr. Charles A. Chrystal, Jr., (Lenore Luciano) of Buffalo, NY; in-laws G. William Schnur (Kathryn M. Schnur) of Mt. Prospect, IL; and many nieces, nephews, and grand nieces.

A memorial service celebrating Margot’s life will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in the spring of 2020.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Margot’s name to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Westchester or The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee . The Hoyt-Cognetta/Raymond Funeral Home, 5 East Wall Street, In Historic Norwalk, CT has been entrusted with arrangements.  Please visit www.norwalkfh.com to leave an online condolence for the family.