Harold B. SNYDER Jr.

SNYDER, Harold B. Jr., Colonel, U.S. Army, (retired) A Bethlehem, Pa. native, Buz Snyder graduated from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1956 as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He declined prestigious engineering offers to commit to a career in the Army. Following the Basic Infantry Officer's Course, he attended and completed the Army's Ranger Course and Flight School. In May, 1957, he married Varina native and graduate of Hollins College, Nelda R. Wood. Throughout his distinguished Army career, he was blessed with challenging assignments in command and staff in seven states, the District of Columbia, and five countries abroad. His last active duty assignment as Commandant of the VMI Corps of Cadets was his most cherished. An expert in military aviation he earned a Masters in Aerodynamics from Georgia Tech and graduated from the Navy War College. Colonel Snyder was a decorated combat veteran and Master Aviator with numerous awards including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Army Air medals. After completing 28 years of continuous, active military service he retired to Eastern Henrico County in September, 1984. Buz remained very active the last 28 years in civic affairs as member and past president of the VMI Club of Richmond, member and past president of the Varina Lions Club, member and Chairman of the J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College Board, and member of the Old Dominion Eye Foundation Board, the James River Association and the Richmond Audubon Society. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Nelda; and two sons, Hal (Kathy) of Frederick, Md. and Chip (Kim) of Eden, N.C.; six grandchildren, Margot, Chase, Hunter, Kristin, Keely and Conor; a sister, Martha Tom of Fresh Meadows, N.Y.; a sister, Johanna Staub of Francestown, N.H.; a brother, Thomas of Edmonton, Alberta; and a sister, Elizabeth Knight of Gladwyne, Pa. Burial is private. Friends are invited to join the family for a remembrance reception on Sunday, February 26, from 2 - 5 p.m. at The Nelsen Reception Center, 4650 S. Laburnum Ave. Richmond, Va. 23231. A memorial gathering will also be held on May 5, (details forthcoming) in conjunction with the 20th annual Varina Lions Club Canoe-A-Thon of which Buz was the founding father. In lieu of flowers, remembrance gifts may be made to the "Colonel Buz Snyder Scholarship Fund" at the VMI Foundation, P.O. Box 932, Lexington, Va. 24450, or the Varina Lions Club, Inc., P.O. Box 38292, Richmond, Va 23231.

Buz was a 1953 graduate of the Greenbrier Military School junior college program.

Published in Richmond Times-Dispatch from February 17 to February 19, 2012.