William B. Snyder MD

Dr. William Bradford Snyder, known to many as Bill, Willie or “Son”, was a pioneering retinal surgeon who passed away peacefully on January 18, 2019, attended by his beloved family. Dr. Snyder grew up in Frankfort, Kentucky, and often enjoyed spending weekends at the family farm. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science in 1953. He was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society and president of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He graduated from Vanderbilt University Medical School in 1957, where he was Vice President of his class. Dr. Snyder furthered his training with a residency and then a fellowship in Diseases and Surgery of the Retina, both at The University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Dr. Snyder was a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He came to Dallas in 1966 as only the third retinal surgeon in Texas. Dr. Snyder was a co-founder of Texas Retina Associates which, over the last forty years, has grown to be one of the largest retinal practices in the country. He also was a co-founder of the Retina Foundation of the Southwest in Dallas, which has become a premier retinal research institution for macular degeneration, genetic retinal conditions and pediatric retinal development and function.

Dr. Snyder was preceded in death by his parents, Grace Rollins Snyder and William Seth Snyder, Jr., both of whom were ear, nose and throat doctors, and his sister, Jane Snyder Marshall. Survivors include William’s cherished wife of 62 years, Phyllis Gunter Snyder, his sister Ann Snyder Harrod, children William Bradford Snyder, Jr. (wife Kathy), Claudia Snyder Ferrara (husband Rick), Clayton Rollins Snyder, Jane Snyder Fitzpatrick and grandchildren William Snyder, III, Michael Fitzpatrick, Quinn Fitzpatrick, and Margaret Fitzpatrick.

Dr. Snyder had a keen intellect and a prodigious memory. He excelled both as a clinician and teacher. His partners were convinced that he had been gifted with a photographic memory, since he delighted in quoting obscure medical articles that shed light on difficult diagnoses. Dr. Snyder was one of the early users of fluorescein angiography, a technique to visualize retinal vessels with the intravenous injection of dye. He was a very accomplished retinal surgeon and loved tackling the most complex retinal detachments. Dr. Snyder contributed to the ophthalmic literature with almost 40 published articles.

Dr. Snyder and wife Phyllis were generous to the Vanderbilt Eye Institute. Out of their deep love for the university where they met, the Snyders endowed a Chair in the eye department and established an annual lectureship to honor his parents. Dr. Snyder was an inaugural member of the Vanderbilt Eye Institute Advisory Board and served as chair for a decade.

Dr. William Snyder was the epitome of a caring and exceptionally talented physician, as well as a loving husband and father. He was known for his gentle bedside manner and dry, witty sense of humor. His family, colleagues, friends and thousands of patients, will profoundly miss him. Fortunately, his legacy will endure in perpetuity due to the many institutions he helped found and endow.

The family would like to express gratitude to the caregivers who assisted Dr. Snyder during his final years. This exceptional team allowed him to remain independent and maintain dignity.

Visitation will be 6 PM to 8 PM on Friday, January 25, 2019, at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home in Dallas. A memorial service will be held at 3 PM on Saturday, January 26, 2019, at Sparkman/Hillcrest with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Retina Foundation of the Southwest. Please visit their website at www.retinafoundation.org or call 214-363-3911.