Lois Elizabeth Snyder

Lois Elizabeth Snyder, a resident of New Haven Court, Greensburg, formerly of Holiday Park, Plum Borough, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on August 23, 2017. She was born in Youngwood, PA on October 5, 1926, a daughter of the late Rev. Meade M. Snyder and Mariah Elizabeth Wolfe Snyder. She grew up in North Braddock and Scottdale, attended the Scottdale Public School System until 1942 when her parents were transferred to Greensburg. She graduated from Greensburg High School in 1944. Lois attended Otterbein College and upon graduation in 1948 she received a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a concentration in trumpet. After student teaching, she began her career in public education as the instrumental music instructor and band director at Apollo High School, a tenure of 40 ½ years that was interrupted by 1 year period when she held the same position at Gateway High School. She received a Master in Fine Arts in Music Education from Carnegie Technical Institute, now Carnegie Mellon University, in 1958. Lois “retired” in 1989, but continued her previously busy schedule by either playing trumpet or directing in a variety of bands and orchestras, including the Moonlighters Dance Band, the McKeesport Sympathy Orchestra, the Delmont Concert Band, and the Scottdale Community Band. She served as a regular instrumentalist for a variety of community organizations and churches. Lois was a member of the Alpha Theta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honor society recognizing leading women educators, and a variety of other musical and professional organizations and the Christ United Methodist Church of Scottdale. In addition to her musical career, Lois was active in athletics in field hockey, tennis and skiing. She spent parts of her summer vacations on the shore in Maine, and she and her housemates enjoyed weekends at the cabin along County Line Road in Donegal Township. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Helen S. Michael Peden, and Thelma S. Christner; her brothers, Dale M. Snyder, Paul V. Snyder, Donald J. Snyder Sr., Ralph V. Snyder, and Arthur R. Snyder; and her nephews, Gwen E. Michael, James H. Michael, and E. Robert Christner, Jr.; and an infant niece, Donna Snyder. Lois was also preceded in death by her longstanding and loving housemates who became part of her family, Nancy Barthelemy, Donna J. Johnson, and A. Jane Fisk. She is survived by several nieces and nephews: Lynn L. Snyder (Nan), Judy Campbell (Jack), Jean A. Pacelli, Paul M. Snyder (Carol), Carolyn S. Stuber, Ruth C. Johnson (Richard), Donald J. Snyder, Jr. (Karen), Margaret S. Brown (Kenneth), and Glenn D. Snyder, as well as her sister-in-law, Mildred B. Snyder and numerous great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. Friends will be received from 10am until the time of memorial service at 11am in Christ United Methodist Church of Youngwood, Pennsylvania on Saturday, September 2, 2017. Interment will be private at the Circle Hill Cemetery in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.