Harold Clarence Snyder

Harold spent his early years growing up in “God’s Country” (Chautauqua County). He attended Cassadaga Valley Central School. At the age of 19 he joined other members of his family and moved to Phoenix, AZ where he married the former Rosella Fitzpatrick on June 20, 1953, who survives him. Also surviving is his sister, Shirley (Howard) Crowell of Sinclairville; one cousin, James (Barbara Stofan) Hiller of State College, PA; and his four children, Cynthia (James) Yale of Glen Burnie, MD; Melinda (Steven) Lehnen of Fredonia; Steven (Debra Marsh) Snyder of Fleming Island, FL, and Susan (David) Muscato of Cassadaga, NY. He also is survived by seven grandchildren (Paul, Heather, Christopher, Brian, Michael, Lucas, and Gregory) and seven great-grandchildren (Briana, Morgan, Cortland, Ramona, Aiden, Seth, and Christopher) and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Harold worked for 17 years at the Cudahey Meat Packing Company in Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff, AZ, as a meat salesman. He was also in the Naval Reserves during the Korean War. He moved his family back to western NY in 1965 where he worked for four years in the retail meat industry before becoming self-employed as owner/operator of, first, Cassadaga Superette (the former Red and White in Cassadaga) along with the Cassadaga Laundromat on the four corners of Cassadaga from 1969-1971 and then went into partnership to form Cassadaga Supermarket, Inc. which included Cassadaga Super Duper (now Cassadaga Shur-Fine), Cassadaga Laundromat, and Sinclairville Superette, from which he retired in 1984. After retirement, he kept busy at numerous jobs including Meals on Wheels, Home-Health Aide, Crossing Guard at Cassadaga Elementary School, landscaping, and visiting/enjoying his grandchildren and other relatives and traveled as much as possible – Alaska, Arizona, Florida, etc. When asked what his greatest accomplishment was, he stated he was instrumental in establishing the first and only bank in Cassadaga, (first Key Bank and now Community Bank). He also enjoyed hunting and fishing. He also had a love of dogs and always had a family dog, the latest was his golden retriever, Ellie Mae, who passed peacefully in January, 2018 at the age of 11. He also had a “fan club” of numerous nurses aides, nurses, physical therapy/occupational therapy personnel, dietary personnel, maintenance personnel, custodians, office personnel at the CNRC and especially on the 2A unit where he spent the majority of his later years, first in rehab, then as a resident and where his wife, Rosie, still resides. He greeted everyone with a smile, good-humored kidding, nicknames, and loved the sunshine, coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts, and Cheetos.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Betty (late-James) Fellinger of Dunkirk, one brother, John (late-Jackie Candy) Snyder of Fredonia, his aunt and uncle, Margaret and Warren Hiller, Sr. of Dunkirk, his cousins Warren (late Katherine, who was also his sister-in-law) Hiller, Jr. of Phoenix, AZ; Robert Woodard of Jamestown; and Donald Hiller of Anchorage, AK; and several other aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Funeral service 11 a.m., Friday in Jordan Funeral Home, Sinclairville with two hours visitation prior to the service. Burial will be in Cassadaga Cemetery. Flowers gratefully declined, memorials can be made to SPCA, Sinclairville 76ers Meals-on-Wheels, Cassadaga Cemetery Association, Nursing Scholarships at JCC or the Cassadaga Voulenteer Fire Department.