Thomas A. Snyder

Thomas A. Snyder

Sheldon, Iowa

Thomas A. Snyder, 77, of Sheldon passed away on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020 at Sanford Sheldon Senior Care in Sheldon.

Service will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery in Sheldon with Fr. Siby Punnoose officiating. Burial will be at St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery in Sheldon. Visitation without the family present will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday at the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon. The family requests that everyone observes the social distancing guidelines. Masks are required during the visitation and the service at the cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home – Sheldon. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.vanderploegfunerals.com.

Thomas A. Snyder, the son of Horace 'Huss' and Edith (Anderson) Snyder was born June 3, 1943 in Sheldon and passed away from cancer on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020 at the Sanford Sheldon Senior Care in Sheldon, Iowa reaching the age of 77 years, 6 months and 17 days.

Tom grew up on a farm near Ashton, Iowa, and actively worked with his dad milking dairy cows, raising hogs and growing corn and beans.

He attended Ashton Public School through 8th grade and then graduating from Sheldon High School in 1961. He continued his education at the University of Iowa graduating with a degree in Pharmacy. His pharmaceutical career entailed work in Iowa, Montana, Oregon, Washington and eventually back to Northwest Iowa.

As an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan many sports events were highlights, as well as working with coaches and student athletes across the collegiate world. Many of those students went on to successful professional careers and remained good friends with Tom.

He also enjoyed attending major events from having two audiences with Pope John Paul II in Rome, attending the Indy 500, the Kentucky Derby, several College World Series games and the World DC I competition. However, his most memorable was game three of the 1989 World Series, sitting in San Francisco's Candlestick Park when the earthquake hit.

He was involved in church activities in Portland, Oregon and St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Sheldon as a lector and commentator. He served for several years on the Bishop's Diocese Committee for Catholic Education.

Tom is survived by his sister, Norma Snyder Jones and her husband, Dr. Allen Jones of Sheldon; niece, Starr Jones Montgomery and her husband, Justin Montgomery of Tiffin, Iowa; great-nieces and -nephews, Leslie, Dilyn, Tralee, Jett, Jack, Tyler and Drew Montgomery; and numerous cousins and their families.