May 17, 1927 - May 21, 2017

Beloved father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend

Donald L. Snyder, age 90, and former Methodist minister, traded in his end-game of Alzheimer’s for a new beginning with our other family angels on May 21, 2017. He passed away at the family group home in Lynnwood, WA where he spent the last 8 years.

Don was born May 17, 1927 to Zella (Sprankle) and Lee Snyder in Springville, NY. He grew up and attended schools in several small towns in PA. In 1945, he married Nola (Bish) and worked as a driller and shooter in the local clay mine. After receiving his calling, he commuted to Edinboro State Teachers College in PA from 1948-1952 and graduated with a BS in Education while serving two churches in the Erie Conference (PA). He earned his Masters of Divinity at Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in OH while serving 4 churches, and became an ordained minister in 1957. He then served two other appointments in the NE Ohio Conference, and two more appointments in the PNW Conference of the United Methodist Church.  

Don was passionate about many things in life and wore many hats. He was an outdoorsman – a fisherman, and a hunter of “mushies”, deer, elk, and other wild game. He was a pipe-smoking thinker, and a lover of music, words and ideas – poetry and stories – written, read and discussed. He was a joke-teller, a counselor, a carpenter, a photographer, a gardener, a mechanic, and Harley rider. His many passions brought connections to family and friends, over meals or around a campfire, and he spoke of his desire to be with family till the end.

Survivors include his adult children - Gary Snyder of Othello WA, Linda Snyder (Patrick Murphy) and Susan Snyder (Keith Brenden) all of Lynnwood, WA; 6 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren; 4 siblings – Harold Snyder, June Baughman, John Snyder, and Ken Snyder; and many nephews, nieces, and cousins. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Roland; his parents, Lee and Zella, and one sister, Florence.

FUNERAL INFORMATION

A celebration of Don’s life will be held July 29, 2017. Please call Susan at 206-542-6055 or Linda at 425-673-8820 by July 26 for further details. All who knew Don are welcome to join the family.

DONATIONS

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions, in memory of Donald, be made for Alzheimer's research or an outdoor camping program for kids

Memorial

'This World is Not My Home'

This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through,
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.