Jay Snyder

Jay Snyder, 64, a lifetime Marshall County resident and long time respected businessman, died, following an illness, at 5:10 a.m. on Monday, December 30, 2002, in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth. Originally from Culver, Jay and his wife have lived at 6588 State Road 17 since 1977. Born in Cleveland , Ohio , on May 23, 1938 , Jay was the son of Lester C. and Carol L. Jacox Snyder. He graduated from Culver High School with the class of 1957 and from technical school, specializing in auto body repair. He was a Sgt. E5 in the United States Army Reserve. On May 10, 1964 , in the Culver E.U.B. Church , Jay and Darlene E. Christensen were married. He first worked for his father doing auto body repair at Snyder Motors in Culver. At the age of 21 he began his own business as owner-operator of Snyder Motors and Towing Service, Inc., and auto body repair, in both Culver and Plymouth . After selling his business in 1986, Jay, who admitted his main hobby was work, continued with the popular Bargain Barn on N. Michigan Road . The Barn will carry on as a family business. He enjoyed family fishing trips to Minnesota as his time away from business.
Jay was a member of the Maxinkuckee I.O.O.F. He was a former Cub Master in West Township and for over 25 years, beginning as a teenager, he was a volunteer firefighter with the Culver Fire Department. Jay is survived by Darlene, his wife of 38 years and their sons, Christian Jay (Kris) Snyder, Plymouth and Mark Brian Snyder and his fiancee, Amanda Pynaert, both of Plymouth . A sister, Carolyn S. (Thad) Jones, Bremen, a sister-in-law, Jeaneen Snyder, Plymouth and a brother-in-law, Dennis (Ellen) Christensen, Fish Lake, Laporte, IN, also survive together with several nieces and nephews. Jay was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Sanford C. Snyder. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 3 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2003 , in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St. , Plymouth . Funeral services for Jay will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2003 , in the funeral home. The Rev. Dr. Dean Fager, pastor of the First United Methodist Church , will officiate. Burial will be in Burr Oak Cemetery, Burr Oak, Ind. Gifts in memory of Jay Snyder may be made to the Riley Children’s Hospital or to the Marshall County Hospice.