Edward John Snyder Jr.

Edward John Snyder Jr.

ALBEMARLE - Edward John Snyder Jr., of Albemarle, died March 30, 2010.

Mr. Snyder was born Aug. 26, 1932, in Flushing, N.Y., and grew up in West Brookfield, Mass. He graduated from St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, Mass., in 1950. He interrupted his college education at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., to serve in the U.S. Army during the closing days of the Korean Conflict. In 1958, he graduated from Lowell Technical Institute in Lowell, Mass., now the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, with a degree in textile engineering.

After graduation, he moved to Albemarle to join E.J. Snyder and Company. In 1966, Mr. Snyder became president of This Commission Dyeing and Finishing Company, which was begun by Edward John Snyder Sr. For almost 50 years, with Ed as president and his brothers Roger and Mike as vice presidents, E.J. Snyder and Sons Inc. was a viable force in business and industry.

Mr. Snyder was president of Albemarle Jaycees; a director of Albemarle Rotary Club; president of Albemarle-Stanly County Chamber of Commerce; president of United Way of Stanly County; vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of Stanly County Memorial Hospital; and president of Stanly County YMCA.

In his service to business and industry, Mr. Snyder was a director and member of the Executive Committee of North Carolina Textile Manufacturers Association; president of Stanly County Manufacturers Association; a director of Stanly County Community Development Corporation; and director of Stanly County Industrial Development Commission.

Mr. Snyder's service to community college education included his chairmanship of Stanly Community College Board of Trustees; development of a Learning Resource Center, known as the Snyder Building, at SCC; chairman of Foundation Board of SCC; and served on North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges. In 2008, Mr. Snyder was named the Southeastern Regional winner of CRD Benefactor Award by the Council on Resource Development for all community colleges in the nation.

For eight years, Mr. Snyder served on the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. During his tenure as trustee, he was chairman of the Development and University Relations Committee; chairman of the Nominating Committee; a member of the Personnel Committee; a member of the Executive Committee; and a director of the UNCC Foundation Board.

Mr. Snyder also served on the Board of Directors of Pfeiffer University; as a trustee of Dore Academy in Charlotte; as a director of the Community Care Clinic, now the John P. Murray Clinic, in Albemarle; and as a director of the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.

For his support of education, public and private, for his leadership in business and industry, for his care for his community, for his work in behalf of public health and for his commitment to families, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte awarded Edward John Snyder Jr. the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service on May 15, 2004.

Mr. Snyder was preceded in death by his parents, Edward John Snyder and Margaret Casey O'Brien Snyder; and his brothers, George Bruce Snyder and Roger Francis Snyder.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Lake Inman Snyder; son Edward John Snyder III; brother Michael Ernest Snyder and wife Karen; sister-in-law Margaret Snyder; and many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Visitation: The family of Mr. Snyder will receive March 31 from 6-8 p.m. in the evening at Hartsell Funeral Home in Albemarle.

Service: The funeral will be conducted by The Very Rev. Peter L. Fitzgibbons V.F. at Our Lady of The Annunciation Catholic Church in Albemarle on April 1 at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Stanly Gardens of Memory. Military graveside honors will be performed by Albemarle-Stanly County DAV Chapter 12.

Pallbearers will be Chris Snyder, Carson Snyder, Joseph Snyder, Michael Snyder Jr., Brian Snyder, "Whit" Whitley and William Leffler.

Memorials: May be made to The Annunciation Catholic Church, 416 N. Second St., Albemarle, NC 28001; or The Stanly Community College Foundation, 141 College Drive, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Online obituaries and condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com