Patricia Snyder

August 20, 1929 - March 18, 2020

Patricia Louise (Pierce) Snyder August 20, 1929 – March 18, 2020 Patricia Louise (Pierce) Snyder, age 90, died on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, supported by the love of her family. She will be missed beyond words, making it extremely hard to say “goodbye.” Pat was a kind, giving, selfless and endlessly positive person. Her motto in life was “I'm okay. It will be alright” – which was a comfort and gift to us as children in an often difficult world. She was a role model for her entire family, always putting the good of others first. Her genuine compassion and understanding toward all was just a part of who she was. Pat was born in Hell's Kitchen, New York City, NY to Warren and Mabel Pierce. She was the first of two children and has a younger brother, Dr. Nathaniel F. Pierce (Diane). Growing up, Pat's family moved around the country due to the nature of her father's fund-raising work for non-profits. They lived in a variety of places including: New York City, NY; Rudyard, Michigan; Asheville, North Carolina; Binghamton, New York; and East Lansing, Michigan. Pat graduated in 1951 from Michigan State University with a liberal arts degree. She met her future husband, Richard Snyder, in 1947 when they were both students at Michigan State University. They married on September 11, 1952. Richard and Pat had three children together: Catherine (Jeff) Loeb; Gail (Jack) Wolfe; and Richard (Jane) Snyder. During their married years they lived in a number of places that included South Lyon, Michigan; Jackson, Michigan; Clare, Michigan; and Toledo, Ohio. Of all these places, they considered Clare to be “home.” As an adult, Pat returned to school at Central Michigan University and obtained a degree as a school psychologist. The income from her job helped put her 3 children through college. She was dedicated to children and did an extraordinarily good job at her work. She was a Brownie Troop leader and also helped in the Clare Congregational UCC with Sunday school, rummage sales, and cleaning among other things. Pat was an organizer and a recycler before it was “the thing to do.” She was endlessly creative, loving nothing more than a good challenge. I recall her building much of the furniture in our bedrooms out of cardboard boxes which were ingeniously sewn together and painted! Pat also had a soft spot in her heart for animals. She was very tolerant of our family's inclusion of furry members which included the usual dogs and cats, but also mice, hamsters, rabbits , birds, gerbils, toads, frogs, turtles, fish, ducks, and even a squirrel and a baby raccoon. Pat especially loved spending summers in Ontario at our family's Rock Lake cabin. The beauty and peace shared with family and friends made Rock Lake summers very special. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and had the ability to make each feel unique, understood and appreciated. She helped immensely with the care of her grandchildren following the death of her daughter Gail’s husband, Jack. The youngest one spent many summers at Rock Lake in her care and also a trip or two to Florida during his growing up years, thanks to “Grandma Pat” and “Grandpa Dick.” Pat is especially loved by her husband, Richard Snyder; her three children; 9 grandchildren: Tricia (Dave) Wolfe; Katie (Greg) Wolfe; Steven (Molly) Wolfe; Skylar Wolfe; Jeremy (Naomi) Loeb; Carolyn (Rob) Loeb; Rebecca Loeb; Kate Snyder and Jack Snyder. She also leaves four great-grandchildren: Asa and Tsipora Wolfe; Cody and Arielle Loeb; her sister-in-laws Martha Hess and Diane Pierce as well as her beloved dog Sketch. Pat was predeceased by a nephew, Lee Hess; a niece, Tricia Hess; a brother-in-law, Howard Hess; and a son-in-law, Dr Jack Wolfe. In Pat's own words that express the simplicity of her faith and her trust that, indeed, things will turn out “alright”: "From out of the nothing I came, and into the nothing I go. My moment of life in the vastness of time is a mystery still full of incomprehension, but I trust the whole evolving event, even though I have no understanding as to it's purpose or the reason for this brief existence. But I believe there has to be a 'cause' behind it all, and I trust and I am content." And, from the words of Mr. Rogers, which are a perfect tribute to Pat's personality and what she taught others: "There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind....From the time you were very little, you've had people who have smiled you into smiling, people who have talked you into talking, sung you into singing, loved you into loving." Pat Snyder certainly lived by all this and will be missed every day for the rest of our lives. A memorial service honoring her memory will be held in the future when family and friends are able to gather together. Donations in Pat's memory can be made to either the Clare County Animal Shelter (4040 Hazel Drive Harrison, MI 48625) or to the Elephant Sanctuary (PO Box 393, Hohenwald, TN 38462) https://shop.elephants.com/product/1C97651/become-a-member. Arrangements were handled by the Clare Chapel of Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home. On-line guestbook at www.stephenson-wyman.com