William J. Snyder Sr

03/27/2004

William J. Snyder Sr., 66, of 54 Hollenbeck Ave. died yesterday at Fairview Hospital. Born in Great Barrington on July 26, 1937, son of Louise Morandi Snyder Ball of Great Barrington and the late William B. Snyder, he attended the former Searles High School. An Army veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as a sergeant from 1960 to 1962, then served in the Army Reserve until 1966. At the time of his death, Mr. Snyder was the building inspector for the town of Alford and, before that, the building inspector for the town of Great Barrington from 1975 to 2001. A master finish carpenter, he had worked with Wells Sellow, Kane and Melvin and R.J. Nickerson from 1962 to 1974. As a teenager, he worked for the G Bar S Ranch, breaking horses and doing rodeo events. He was a member of the Great Barrington Conservation Commission, on which he had served the past 12 years. He also had been a member of the Berkshire County Sheriff's Association since 1988. He coached the Southern Berkshire Babe Ruth League for 11 years and was a former Boy Scout master. He was a 30-year member of the National Rifle Association. He enjoyed pitch and pinochle games, hunting and fishing, and traveling to Ohio to visit family and watch the Cleveland Indians play at Jacobs Field. Besides his mother, he leaves a son, William J. Snyder Jr. of Twinsburg, Ohio; a daughter, Melissa J. Romanini of Twinsburg; four brothers, John Snyder of Egremont, James Snyder of Sheffield, David Snyder of Great Barrington and Lawrence Ball of Hillsdale, N.Y.; seven sisters, Shirley Root of Alford, Betty Ann Hitchcock of Sheffield, Nancy Peck of Pittsfield, Lorraine Love of Richmond, Ann McDermott of Egremont, Lilly Hankey of Otis, and Jane Ball of South Carolina, and three grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- A Liturgy of Christian Burial for William J. Snyder Sr., who died Saturday, March 27, 2004, will be celebrated tomorrow, March 29, at 1 at St. Peter's Church by the Rev. Daniel Papineau, MIC, pastor. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lyme Disease Association Inc., as Bill's granddaughter, Emma, suffers from the disease, in care of BIRCHES-ROY FUNERAL HOME, 33 South St., Great Barrington, MA 01230, which is in charge of arrangements. He leaves his daughter-in-law, Christine; son-in-law, Ronald; two grandaughters, Alexandra Romanini and Emma Grace Snyder, and a grandson, Nicholas Romanini. He also leaves his extended family, Debbie, Megan and Michael Ball and Frank Mackoul of Great Barrington, and longtime friend and partner, Joyce Ferrentino of North Egremont. He also leaves many hundreds of friends of Bill W's, and Bill celebrated his 20th anniversary the day he died. Bill's motto was "Keep It Simple."

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