Jane C. Snyder

Jane Snyder was born August 10, 1942 (Jane Josephine Crum) in Dallas County, Iowa and passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. In their 61 years of marriage, Frank and Jane lived in Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

Harry, Jane’s dad, was a machinist and mechanic who was known to invent tools which he needed but didn’t yet exist. Josephine, Jane’s mom, was a third-grade teacher for 30 years. Josephine passed her beautiful smile, perfect handwriting, sense of humor and comedic timing on to her daughter, Jane. Together with her brother, Glenn, Jane had a typical midwestern upbringing in Woodward, Iowa (population ~1,000). There was a saying: If they don’t have it in Perry, you don’t need it. Perry, Iowa (population ~7,000) is where Frank grew up, about 12 miles west of Woodward.

Along with being a talented and practiced artist (piano, oil painting, macrame, pottery, and guitar), Jane was best known and will forever be remembered for her intellect. Even prior to being recognized as High School Valedictorian, Jane was selected for and completed biology summer institutes at Indiana University and Cornell University. Jane’s Bachelor of Science in Microbiology was with honors from the University of Iowa.

Jane and Frank started their family in Iowa City as Frank completed his advanced degrees, welcoming Deborah Jane in 1963, Eric Franklin in 1967, and Rebecca Jane in 1970. In those early years, the family lived in married student housing, discovered the joys (and frugality) of spending time with people who interest you. They made lifelong friends, and Jane looked back on those years as some of her happiest.

Jane’s career spanned biology, economics, and business. Early years were in the labs at Veterans Administration Hospitals in Iowa City then in Lexington, Kentucky when the family moved for Frank’s post-doctoral program at the University of Kentucky, Physics Department. When Frank joined the faculty at University of Pittsburgh, Jane transitioned to homemaking full-time, focusing on raising three kids, making meals, keeping an immaculate home, and getting everyone where they needed to be (scouts, music lessons, swim team, cheerleading, friends’ houses, and so on). The family had two more moves (to Richmond, Indiana then back to Pittsburgh), and Jane made sure those moves were smooth for the kids, painting rooms, sewing bedroom curtains, and hanging wallpaper with precision. Jane was a night owl and did much of her best work while everyone else slept.As kids became more self-sufficient, Jane thought about ‘returning’ to work, uncertain of how that would take shape.

She applied to a Women in Science program advertised in the paper. This program was funded by the National Science Foundation, run by Chatham University, and designed for women rejoining the workforce -- women just like her. This launched Jane’s career into a new direction, first as Market Research Analyst at Koppers, then Corporate Economist at Lehigh Hanson, and culminating as a successful entrepreneur with her business, Construction Market Research.

Though they were both career and family-focused, Frank and Jane led full lives, enriched by performing arts and travel. They were steadfast supporters of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Ballet, and Pittsburgh Opera, instilling an appreciation for the arts in their children. Frank and Jane travelled to all 50 State Capitals (48 by car), visited each of the Presidential Libraries, and enjoyed lots of international travel to include two Around the World trips.

An early advocate of farmers’ markets, Jane also loved grocery stores, outlets, comfortable shoes, and finding bargains. She was generous and put her faith in good ideas such as a stocked picnic basket as a wedding gift; a book, a toy, and an item of clothes for her grandchildren on their birthdays. Her skill in rehoming items was unmatched, often to her kids’ delight and occasionally to their chagrin. Jane loved discussing current events. She was confident in her opinions and was sincerely interested in others’ opinions too; she didn’t interrupt.

From her dad, Jane learned that a job worth doing was worth doing well. She passed this lesson on to her kids and greatly encouraged them in each of their pursuits. Like many devoted parents, Jane dedicated entire weekends to swim meets and lived frugally at home while sending kids on adventures around the country and world. Frank and Jane cheerfully cared for their grandchildren, letting parents get out of town for weekends or entire weeks. They happily attended games, recitals, musicals, races, and concerts. Jane always made sure to have her grandkids’ favorite cereal and ice cream on hand for their visits; she made grilled cheese sandwiches exactly how the grandkids wanted them.

Jane looked for and celebrated responsible citizenship and was a patriot. She loved the marches of John Philip Sousa, drumlines, marching bands, and never missed an opportunity to recruit a Steelers, Pirates, or Hawkeye fan. She recognized the dignity in work and often took time to thank a busboy, server, or caregiver.

Jane is survived by her husband of 61 years, Franklin D. Snyder and their three children, Deborah Lewis MacPherson and husband Bruce of Vienna, Virginia, Eric Franklin Snyder and wife Patty Jean of Dayton, Maryland, and Rebecca Snyder deGuzman and husband Richard of Washington, DC; seven grandchildren, Josephine Tayal and husband Deepak of Washington, DC, Kayleigh Britt MacPherson and husband Nathan McClellan of Los Angeles, California, Hunter MacPherson and wife Ashley of Reston, Virginia, Luke Eric Snyder, Ryan Wiser, Sophia Rebecca and Elena Margaret deGuzman; five great-grandchildren, Iona Mae, Cormac Walt, and Celesta Elle McClellan, William Small and Amelia Wiser. She will also be remembered by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. We dearly miss her wit, commentary, generosity, and wisdom.

A celebration of Jane’s life will be held at Asbury Methodist Village in the Hefner Auditorium, 417 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, Maryland on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in her name to Alzheimer's Foundation of America https://www.alzfdn.org or the Association of Women in Science https://awis.org/donate-memorial-gift/

Words To Live By:God Bless the Whole World - No Exceptions.Chocolate Doesn't Ask Silly Questions -Chocolate Understands.Friends Who Are Family and Family Who Are Friends