Richard "Dick" James Snyder, Sr. departed this life at the age of 96, Monday, December 3, 2018. He was born an only child to Mabel Mary and Myer Paul Snyder on June 25th, 1922 and grew up in Reading, Massachusetts. He survived the Great Depression and World War II. He joined both the Army and the Navy where he became a Fourth Staff Sargent and trained as a rear gunner.
After the war, he attended the University of Texas in Austin where he was active in the Army ROTC and most importantly met and married the love of his life, Betty Trammel Snyder. He was commissioned as an officer and happily received an honorable discharge, allowing him to begin the true shining moment of his life, as the loving patriarch of our family. Dick and Betty had three children, Richard James Snyder, Jr., of Lubbock, Martin Paul Snyder, Sr., of Lubbock, and Mary Charlsa Snyder, of Denver, CO. Together, they were loving and influential grandparents to 5 grandchildren, Ricky, Martin, Jennifer, Sara and Casey. “Gramps”, who was preceded in death by his wife in 2003, was a loving “Great Gramps” to 5 great grandchildren. He is survived by all of his children and grandchildren who will live out their lives striving to be as kind, strong, and generous as he was, as well as by his loving cousin, Barbara Tasney MacDonald, of Reading, MA, whom he considered a sister.
Dick founded and started several successful businesses providing sales and services for tool manufacturing, the last of which was a family owned business. He was a well known and respected business man in West Texas. He took an “early retirement” at age 84. His firm yet gentle guidance and generous spirit will forever leave a mark on the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know him. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Lubbock or Morris Safe House.
Celebration of life services will be held at 2 PM, Thursday, Dec. 6 2018 at Resthaven’s Abbey Chapel with interment to follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home & Memorial Park, Lubbock, TX. Online condolences may be offered on our website at www.resthavenfuneralhome.com.
