Edgar Snyder

Edgar Lawrence Snyder Sr. joined his wife Nancy Rue Snyder who recently passed on May 21st, 2019 and he followed on May 30th 2019. After 73 years of marriage (August 18, 1945) they were meant to be reunited.

Ed was born on June 10, 1923 in the small town of Oak Hill, Ohio. His parents were Jake and Allie (Leonard) Snyder. Preceding him in death were all his siblings, 1 brother and 7 sisters.

He is survived by five children Randee (Pete) Morton, Pam(Chuck) Gordon, Patti(Russ) McKinnon all of Traverse City, Larry(Sue) Snyder of Powell Tn., and Nancy Kay (Jim) Nelson of Plymouth Mi.

He will also be missed my his grandchildren Tonya (Paul) Conway, Jennifer (Tony) Bailey, Rebecca Russell, Julie (Tom) O’Rourke, Kristen (Rob) Gray, David (Tiffani) McKinnon, Craig (Jessica) McKinnon, Rebecca Anne (Jason) Embler, and Jake Snyder. He was also blessed with 12 great grandchildren and 2 great- great granddaughters.

In 1943 Ed was in the Navy, and then in 1945 he joined the United States Coast Guard where he worked as an aviation mechanic. He also flew on search and rescue missions and resupplying remote navigation stations. He was transferred multiple times taking his family from Traverse City to New York, Mississippi, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and then returning to Traverse City where he retired from the USCG in 1966. After retiring, Ed went to work for the Record Eagle where he was a maintenance engineer for over 20 years. He formed lifelong friendships everywhere he worked. It was said that he could fix anything and his daughter Nancy Kay bought him a tee shirt that read “If Dad Can’t Fix it, We are All Screwed”. He wore it proudly.

Among his many accomplishments he built a beautiful house for his family and remodeled many others that Ed and his wife Nancy would flip as they moved around always improving with each move. One of their flips was the Sleepy Hollow Motel which they owned and operated for 16 years. When they were done working for others they moved to Kalkaska where they lived for 20 years. The last few years they moved back to Williamsburg, into the house that Ed built, to be closer to family.

Among Ed’s hobbies he loved woodworking. He made a wide variety of things such as tables, cedar chests, chairs, flower boxes, rocking chairs for his grandchildren, baby doll beds and the list goes on. He also loved the time he spent volunteering with the Commemorative Air Force. Ed was a man of few words but he wasn’t afraid to show his love with hugs for his family. He was known to be a trickster to his family and friends and relished playing practical jokes on anyone he thought would fall for it.

A private service will be held on a later date for Ed and Nancy Snyder at Oakwood Cemetery in Traverse City. We give our thanks to Hospice at Munson as well as Life Story, with a special thanks to Connie, Jill and Beth who treated our parents with respect and dignity. Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to sign the guestbook and share your thoughts with the family.