So Sad: Maura West’s Emotional Secret Revealed – GH Star Has Lost Her Dad.

Maura West, the Emmy-winning General Hospital star who plays the role Ava Jerome, seems to be very private about her personal life. And that applies to her family history. But this weekend, she shared about losing a father. Read on to find out if he passed way.

The Post About A Father
This weekend, Maura West took to her Instagram Stories and posted a reel that cited both an Irish and a Welsh proverb about losing a dad. Her first photo showed a jetty under a gloomy sky.

Maura wrote an overlay that said, “When your father dies, the Irish say you lose your umbrella against the bad weather.” Then, the second picture showed a vessel at sea, and she wrote, “When your father dies, the Welsh say you sink a foot deeper into the earth.”

It’s not clear where the photos came from, but the vessel flew a flag that appeared to be the national flag of Turkey.

What Do We Know About Maura’s Dad?
While the real-life Ava Jerome shares photos of her kids on social media, she very seldom mentions her parents. Admittedly, she did mention her mom a few years ago. But you’ll scroll in vain for a picture of her dad.

Unlike many celebrities who discuss their upbringing in interviews, West doesn’t seem to have publicly named or acknowledged her father. So, that leaves fans with little to no information about him.

Did Her Dad Pass Away?
Of course, Maura might have just liked the proverbs, deciding to share them with fans who lost loved ones. However, it seems likely that ABC viewers might be wondering about her parents.

They do know that she was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and her original name was Maura Jo Snyder. She was the youngest of three siblings; a sister and two brothers. But unusually, her biographies don’t mention the names of her parents.

Nevertheless, there is an obituary on obits.masslive.com that reveals a service on Aug. 15, 2025 at the Ludlow Funeral Home. The obituary said that “James Raymond Peter Snyder, Jr., known to everyone as “Pete,” left this earth peacefully at his home on August 6, 2025, surrounded by his loving family…”

It also mentioned those he left behind, including his “wife, Mary Ellen Snyder; his children, Heather, Sean, Joseph and Cole Kenneally, and Maura.”

Intentionally Secretive
Maura West seems to intentionally keeps her historical family life private, particularly concerning her father. Possibly, she wants to protect her family’s privacy or just avoid scrutiny. For such a well-known actress, the secrecy seems unusual and while it might get some curiosity from GH fans, most people respect her privacy.

Given that the obituary that mentioned Maura and the man with the same surname as her birth name, it does seem that she lost her dad this month.

What are your thoughts? Are you feeling a bit sad to know that Laura possibly lost her dad recently? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here often for all your General Hospital cast news and updates.