Darwyn Verne "Tony" Snyder

Snyder, Darwyn Verne "Tony"

Tony Snyder passed away on December 2, in St. Louis. He grew up in Marathon, Iowa, the only child of Rodney and Naomi (nee Goetschius) Snyder. He expressed fond memories of small-town life, and later, Sioux City, where the family moved in 1941 when he was 17. He was enrolled at Morningside College for 1½ years before enlisting in the Army. In Oct 1944, he was deployed overseas to Marseilles and participated in the southern invasion. During the winter of '44-'45, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged in Aug 1945 and returned to Sioux City to complete his degree at Morningside College. On Feb 25, 2020, Tony's WW II service was recognized and honored by the French government, when he was awarded the French Legion of Honor at a ceremony in St Louis, presided over by the French Consul General.

It was during his return to college that he met and married his lifelong partner and love of his life, Joan Meyer. They were married for 74 years, and life was not the same after Joan's death in Apr 2022. The Snyder's had two children, Mark (Karen) and Melanie Coon, four grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Following Tony's graduation with degrees in piano, music education, and education administration, Tony pursued a distinguished career as a high school band director, and Director of Fine Arts, at Westside High School in Omaha, NE for more than 30 years. Tony offered private music lessons, directed the Countryside Community Church choir for 16 years, and he founded and conducted the Nebraska Wind Symphony between 1977 and 1995, an achievement of which he was justly proud. He also served as the Assistant Director of the Omaha Youth Orchestra. Interests were not limited to music, however, as he was actively involved with Rotary for 30 years, and readily volunteered his time and talents to residents in Mexico during the couple's winter vacation time in South Padre, TX. In November 2012, Joan and Tony moved to Friendship Village Senior Living Center, in St Louis, where they could live closer to their son Mark and his family. Not surprisingly, they became active residents in their community, with Tony playing the piano for Sunday chapel services and numerous other events, and most memorably producing his own annual music "Birthday Bash", most recently for his 98th birthday. Tony was a caring and most beloved family patriarch and friend, and he is dearly missed.

A CELEBRATION OF TONY'S LIFE will be held in St. Louis on Feb 25th. He will be buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Nebraska Wind Symphony, PO Box 24114, Omaha, NE 68124.