Ms. Conklin, a native of Dobbs Ferry, NY, played Broadway roles starting in 1928, when she was in the chorus of the little-known musical, Treasure Girl, and subsequently found consistent work, appearing in The Little Show, His Majesty's Car, Purity, Old Man Murphy, Hot Money, Mademoiselle, The Party's Over, The Ghost Writer and The Pursuit of Happiness (in New York and London). Choice roles include Gabby Maple in The Petrified Forest (1935), Mrs. North in Mr. and Mrs. North (1941), Alice in Alice in Arms (1945), Martha in The Wisteria Trees (1950) and Flo Owens in Picnic (1953) and Howie (1958).
The Times reported Ms. Conklin's year of birth as 1902, though her official biography indicates 1912 as her birth year.
She married an ad executive, James D. Thompson, in 1935. He predeceased her in 1998. Survivors include her son, Michael Thompson, daughter Antonia West, and three grandchildren.