| Notes |
- Edward Kenneth Snyder passed away December 29, 2008.
He was born February 27, 1928, in Slab Fork, West Virginia, the eldest son of Edward Snyder, of Boone, NC, and Hattie DeLoach, of Doeville, TN.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother; his infant brother, Bruce Snyder; his brother, Jim Snyder, San Francisco, CA; and his sister-in-law, Cora Snyder, Erwin, TN.
Ed's father was a coal miner in Beckley, WV. He became suddenly ill with spinal meningitis and passed away when Ed was only 8 years old. His mother, Hattie, moved the children to Elizabethton in October 1936 to be near the relatives. Ed grew up in Elizabethton, attending local schools.
He joined the U.S. Navy at age 17 and was stationed in Great Lakes, Illinois, and served in Pearl Harbor on the USS Sante Fe. He was awarded the Victory Medal and Asiatic Pacific Medal. He has been a member of the Veterans of Foreign War Capt. Lynn H. Folsom Post No. 2166, Elizabethton, TN, since 1948.
After returning to Elizabethton from his naval service, he became interested in a career in custom sign design and manufacturing. He worked for several months as an apprentice at a sign company in Athens, GA. Returning to Elizabethton, he became employed in Kingsport, TN, with Felix Sign Company. Advancing through the years, he became General Manager of the company. During this time he received his electrical degree and drafting and welding degrees. He remained with the company until 1962. He also obtained his Tennessee Contractors License.
His decision to build and open his own sign company came in 1962 in Johnson City, TN. Through the years the company enjoyed great success in building, designing, manufacturing and installation of electrical sign displays throughout the upper East Tennessee region under Ed's leadership as owner and president. He traveled the area purchasing and leasing many locations for outside billboard advertising. Ed was a "hands on" manager and one of his major projects was the restoration of the Paramount Theatre Marquee in Bristol, TN.
He was a member of the World Sign Association, NESA, and received his general contractor's license. Ed believed that the design, manufacturing and installation of every sign was indeed a work of art and image creation. He took great pride in creating Snyder Signs, Inc. Due to his ill health he retired in 1992. Seeing the company progress and grow into a second generation company has been a time of enjoyment for Ed.
He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Nancy. He has two daughters, Carol Snyder, Johnson City, TN, Kay Meade and husband, Mike, Columbia, SC; one son, Rod Snyder and wife, Mary Ann, Piney Flats, TN; step-daughter, Denise Galloway, Cleveland, TN; step-daughter, Jennifer Peters, Knoxville, TN; one sister, Pansy Hansen and husband, Dean, Hampton, TN; two brothers, Ernest Snyder, Erwin, TN, and Frank Snyder, Glendale, CA; three grandchildren, Brent Shull, Johnson City, TN, Brooks Armistead, Johnson City, TN, and Matt Marshall, Johnson City, TN; nieces, D'An Hartman, Cincinnati, OH, Teresa Snyder, Erwin, TN, Kathy Snyder, Wilmington, NC; nephews, Jim Snyder, Wilmington, NC, Jerry Snyder, Erwin, TN, Greg Lange, Cincinnati, OH, and Chuck Lange, Cincinnati, OH; and many cousins throughout the local area.
Visitation will be at Tetrick Funeral Services, 3001 Peoples St., Johnson City, TN, on Wednesday from 5:00-7:00 PM. A Celebration of Life of Edward K. Snyder will follow the visitation.
A private graveside ceremony for the family will be at the VA Mountain Home National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations could be made to the American Heart Association in memory of Ed Snyder.
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1928 - 2008 (80 years)
