Born on April 28th, 1940, in Vinita, Oklahoma (in Grandma’s big house), to Collis F. Snider and Inez Marie Greiner Snider. He was baptized in the Catholic Church and attended Sacred Heart Academy for twelve years. He attended Benedictine Heights College in Tulsa, Oklahoma on a basketball scholarship and finished his engineering degree at Oklahoma State University, where he met the love of his life, June Ann Veach. They were married soon after graduating, on July 18th, 1964 and moved to Kansas City, Missouri to start his first career as an electrical engineer at Bendix/Allied Signal/Honeywell, where he and June raised three children, Katharine, Patrick and Leah. Sam immersed himself in his children’s activities and sports. Playing, coaching and travelling to watch his children and nine grandchildren. He retired, and started his second career at Minor Park Golf Course, and later at Eagles Landing as a Marshall and Player services/and Pro shop attendant. An avid golfer, and love of the game playing with his family and friends as much as possible. He was a proud member of the Cherokee Nation and the St. Thomas More Parish. Sam was passionate about sports, children (many named after him) and his faith. He was kind, compassionate, loyal, humorous and just enough ornery to bring so much joy to so many lives he touched. The man, the myth, the legend, I am Sam, Sam I am.
Sam is survived by his wife of 59 years, June Ann Snider, sisters, Della Diane Welch (Bruce-d) and Sue Jane Bacon (Jim-d), three children Kathy Biggerstaff (Scott), Pat Snider (Karli) and Leah Snider (Aimee). Nine grandchildren, Alicia, Nathan, Trent, Casey, Emma, Drew, Emmitt, Ella and Abby, seven great-grandchildren, and all of his nieces and nephews that he adored.
Please honor Sam with contributions to The Parkinson’s Foundation of the Heartland (parkinson.org/heartland), KU Medical Center for Parkinson’s Research (kumc.edu/research/parkinsons) or St. Thomas More Parish (stmkc.com)
