Florence Schauffler, a talented character actress, was born Florence Cornelia Brown on November 22, 1920, in Cleveland, Ohio, as the firstborn of paternal twins. She attended the Hathaway Brown School for Girls and later the Erskine School in Boston, Massachusetts, where she focused on the theatrical arts.
After completing her studies, Schauffler did summer stock at the North Shore Players in Marblehead, Massachusetts, but her theatre career was put on hold due to the outbreak of World War II. She worked in the War Department for Military Intelligence in Washington, D.C. during the war years.
In the late 1940s, Schauffler moved to New York City and worked for the production company Theatre Inc. and the renowned production designer Jo Mielziner. It was during this time that she met her future husband, Allen Field Schauffler, and the couple got married in 1949.
The couple moved to rural John Day, Oregon, where they worked on a ranch owned by her husband's family. Schauffler's husband attended veterinary school in Pullman, Washington, while she worked as a secretary. They later opened The Verde Veterinary Hospital in the Verde Valley/Sedona area in Arizona.
Florence was an accomplished horsewoman and an early member of the Verde Valley Roverettes, serving as their first drill captain. She also helped found the Verde Valley Guidance Clinic and served on its board. Schauffler and her husband parted ways in 1978, but remained friends.
Florence moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, and took courses in theatre arts at Scottsdale Community College. She then relocated to Los Angeles, California, to pursue an acting career in stage, film, and television. She is particularly memorable for her role as the creepy old witch Haggis in the horror cult favorite Pumpkinhead (1988).
Schauffler returned to Verde Valley at the age of 75 and lived with her daughter Jennifer and son-in-law in Clarkdale, Arizona. She remained active in her senior years, volunteering for Meals on Wheels through the Verde Valley Senior Center until the age of 86.
Florence also lent her talent to three film projects and a dance theatre production, which spanned two years in development and performance. Schauffler passed away at the age of 97 on December 24, 2017, in Clarkdale, Arizona. She was survived by her daughter Jennifer, son Dana, grandchildren Antonia, Allen, and Clinton, and daughter-in-law Michel.
