John E. Snyder

CORVALLIS - John Edward Snyder passed away of natural causes on February 9th, 2012 at Marcus Daly Hospice in Hamilton in his 78th year. He thought he was headed for that great steelhead river in the sky, to scout it out for his pals.

John never took life too seriously, although no one could have loved life or lived life any fuller or more appreciatively. He allowed that he considered himself one of the luckiest people who ever lived in every way, and had 77 years of near-perfect health, lived to the hilt.

John served as principal at Stevensville Public Schools, K-8 and later K-6, for most of his 30 years at the school. He thought he had the best job in the world, and he loved his staff. They responded in kind, and kids benefited greatly.

To say that John loved hunting and fishing would be like saying birds like to fly. Between his younger years, his four military years, and the years of living in Alaska (University of Alaska) as a resident, John managed to hunt and / or fish New York State, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Alaska , Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Wisconsin, and Canada, including Newfoundland, Labrador, and B.C.

He was a confirmed bachelor at the age of 24, with plans to continue as stated indefinitely. Then he met Alberta, and things changed quickly, for the better. He always thought he married "up", and 52+ years later he said it was the single best decision he ever made. John and Alberta, a second grade teacher in Missoula and Stevensville, raised two delightful daughters and had a good time doing it. All in all, John says that he is so far ahead in the game of life that he has been playing with 'house money' for many years, as Charlie Russell put it, and he is "winners" in a big time way. John is survived by his wife Alberta; daughter, Shelly Unruh of Dillon; daughter, Kecia Bruce and her husband Doug Caley of North Bend, WA; granddaughter, Ellie Bruce; sister, Jean Blatchley of Pineland, Florida; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Beatrice Snyder of Olean, New York.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Marcus Daly Hospice of Hamilton or the Bitterroot Humane Society. "If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again."