William N. Snyder, Sr.

William Newell Snyder, Sr., 80, passed away Friday, January 6, 2023. William (Bill) Snyder, Sr. was born in 1942 in Bradenton, FL and grew up in Ballast Point. He is a graduate of Plant High School and attended Florida State University in Tallahassee where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. After returning to Tampa, he worked with his father for Poultry Health Service. Also, Bill spent 6 years serving in The National Guard. After meeting his wife Lynda on a blind date in 1963, they had three children and lived in Odessa, FL. When Poultry Health Service wanted Bill to relocate to South Carolina, his father-in-law had a different idea. Bill joined his father-in-law, William P. Davis and helped managing the orange grove (Davis Groves) in Odessa, FL. He also built a sailboat while living on the grove in the 1970s.

He later became an Optician at Davis Optical Co. in 1972. Bill has been a member of Downtown Tampa Rotary since 1969 where he was originally under the classification as Citrus Grower and later Optician. During his many years in Rotary, he has served on the board twice and was Sergeant at Arms. He was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award. Bill belonged to the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians where he served as a past Regional and Fleet IYFR Commodore.

His career as an Optician lasted 31 years, with him serving on the National Academy of Opticianry and National Board of Contact Lenses. After retiring, Bill and Lynda moved to an RV community in Polk City, FL. The couple had planned to travel around the country with their RV pal, Alvin Magnon, however, were never able to fulfill this dream. While living in Polk City, Bill joined the Downtown Lakeland Rotary Club. On his return to the Tampa area, Bill rejoined the Downtown Tampa Rotary Club. After Lynda passed away in 2014, he moved to Encore in Fishhawk where he was the 1st resident in the new community. Recently, Bill moved to Brookdale Bayshore where he met many new friends and was deemed to be the “Southern Gentleman”. Bill will always be remembered as a gentleman, awesome father, kind friend, and loyal beyond words.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Lynda Davis Snyder; his mother and father, Ethenewell Forehand Snyder and William Emanuel Snyder. He is survived by his sister, Anne Snyder Gordon and his sister-in-law, Jana Davis Kaney (Mike); his daughters, Charlene Molina (Jay) and Jana Snyder (John Livingston), his son William N. Snyder, Jr. (Nylma); his grandchildren, Ryan and Justin Miller; step grandchildren Aaron and Amanda Molina, Katie McDaniel, Jack and Anne Scott Livingston, Desiree and Sebastian Rosario, and Alaina and Isabella Card; nieces Leigh Kaney, Laura Campbell (Dennis), and nephews Michael Kaney (Michelle), Brian (Sherry) and Brad (Kathy) Gordon; several cousins, including Linda Hohlt Wade (Bill) and Darrie Hohlt.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Downtown Tampa Rotary. Services to be provided at Blount & Curry MacDill at 2:00 on Sunday, January 15th. Family will receive visitors at 1:00.