Raymond William Snyder

Celebration of Life Services for Ray Snyder, age 78 of Bedford, who passed away Tuesday evening at the Bedford Nursing & Rehab Center will be held Friday, March 22, 2013, at 10:30 AM at the Ritchie Funeral Home in Bedford.  

Visitation will be Thursday from 3 – 7 PM with the family greeting friends from 5 – 7 PM.  Interment will be held at the Fairview Cemetery in Bedford.  

Memorials may be given in Ray’s name or directed to the Bedford First Baptist Church or the Bedford High School Booster Club.  

Memories may be shared at: www.ritchiefuneralhome.com. 

Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.

Raymond William “Ray” Snyder was born in Southgate, California the youngest child of William and Rosella (Croy) Snyder. Ray moved to Bedford in 1948, graduating from Bedford HS in 1952, where he excelled at athletics, especially football.

Ray spent 3 years studying pre-engineering at NWMSU before serving 2 years in the Army where he served in Germany and France working on radio towers, earning the rank of Corporal.

After marrying Patricia (Anderson) of Hopkins, Missouri August 18, 1957 at the First Christian Church, Ray and Pat moved to California where Ray began a career with NASA, working primarily mass spectrometers. After 12 good years and raising 4 children in Lancaster, California, Ray and Pat moved to Bedford so their children could benefit from the more stable Midwest family and school environment.

Ray used his teenage experience helping his father in his carpentry business and working on a traveling roofing crew to start his own construction business. Ray’s “jack of all trades” abilities and strength along with his selling ability helped him build a loyal roofing clientele in SWIA and NWMO, using primarily PACE roofing products.

Ray also enjoyed commodities markets as a hobby for many years and worked as a licensed broker for a short time. Ray loved to learn new things, reading and working on his computer. He loved to talk to people and also to travel, especially when it involved heading “west” with Pat. Ray enjoyed coaching Little League baseball, swimming and diving, skiing and camping with his family.

Ray was a member of the Bedford 1st Baptist Church, serving as a deacon and also volunteering on several construction projects. He also enjoyed frequenting the Junction Café for coffee and visiting.

Ray loved his family and friends and lived life with zeal. He was a positive person even through his later life physical challenges. Ray will be missed dearly, but always remembered as a caring and loving husband, father, grandfather and friend.

Ray is survived by wife, Patricia, Bedford, Iowa; children Michael and wife Judy, Round Rock, Texas, Michelle and Mark Iglehart, Blue Springs, Missouri, Susan and Dean Rowe, Bedford, Iowa, Rene’ and Roger O’Riley, Hopkins, Missouri, 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren; brother Dean and wife Bonnie Snyder, sisters, Lois Scheiffele and Naomi Stockton, brother-in-laws Roger Anderson and Ron Anderson.

Preceding Ray in death, his parents, William and Rozella, and brother Richard Snyder.

Ray was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.  

His enthusiasm for life, humor and insight will be missed by his family.