John Paul Snyder Jr.

John P (Jack) Snyder, Jr. died on October 12, 2012. He was born December 12, 1927 in Baltimore, MD. When he was 3 months old he moved to Norfolk VA when the Seaboard Rail Road transferred his Father to their new home office in Norfolk VA. He was preceded in death by his parents, John P. Snyder, Sr., and Lillian Foster Snyder.

He went to Meadowbrook Grammar School and then to Granby High School where he graduated in 1946. Jack was a member of the Granby Comets undefeated football team of the 40’s under Coach Bill Story. He remembered Foreman Field in Norfolk where 15,000 to 20,000 people went to see Granby football games on Saturday afternoon.

Jack played with the Granby stars of the past such as Dick Ivenhoe, Hank Fowles, Chuck Stobbs, Carl Eborn, Barney Gill, and the Harrison Brothers of Ocean View. Jack not only knew he went to a leading High School in the state but he also knew that he grew up in the best time in the history of music - the Big Band days of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Jack was a drummer while in high school with the “Earl Bennett” Band with later became the “Jack O’Neil” band playing 7 days a week in the summer and 4 nights a week in the winter. It was the glory days of the big band and lived and loved every minute of it.

In 1946 Jack went to Elon College and graduated from Elon in 1950. During that time he played nights with the Jimmy Perkins Band. Elon was one of the loves in his life and Jack returned to the campus of Elon many times and that brought back pleasant memories.

He was drafted into the army in October 1950 and served in the 143rd Tank Battalion in Munich Germany. Just out of the Army, he married Jackie Robertson whom he had met while at Elon.

In 1958 he went to work as an insurance agent for Allstate at Sears Store at 21st Street in Norfolk. He later opened his own Allstate office and 38 years later retired from Allstate in December 1996. He loved selling insurance and talking to his customers.

For about 15 years in the 60’s and 70’s Jack played drums in the “Billy Morris” Band. His wife Jackie sang with the band. The big band days were gone and now their daughter Jamie was playing flute in the Kempsville High School Band and their son Jay was 1st string center in the Kempsville High School football team. For Jack, life has come around for the second time.

Jack is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Jackie R. Snyder, his daughter Jamie Snyder, a son Jay Snyder and wife Debbie; and a granddaughter, Fallin Snyder.

The family will receive friends on Monday, October 15, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Smith & Williams Funeral Home, Kempsville Chapel.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, 2:00 p.m. October 16, 2012 at Colonial Grove Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Elon College.