Eloise Ruth (Edson) Snyder, retired publications director for the Institute of Gerontology, died Oct. 13 at home in Burcham Hills, East Lansing, where she had lived for the past five years. She was 93.
Snyder was born Oct. 5, 1921, on the southern Nebraska plains in Red Cloud. Her paternal grandfather was a pioneer Baptist minister. Her maternal grandparents had arrived by covered wagon to claim a homestead on the Platte River awarded for service in the Civil War. She was born to William and Eva Lois Edson, who operated a newspaper in Red Cloud (and other Nebraska and Iowa communities later).
She graduated from Eldora High School (Iowa) and Hastings College (Nebraska) and in 1949 was married to a college classmate, Richard Snyder. They raised two sons, David and James. (James died in 2008.) At the time of Dick’s death in 1982, he was president of Scientific Systems Support, a Ann Arbor computer systems company in the medical field. He had previously worked for EMU (Lincoln Laboratory Schools) as well as the University of Michigan School of Public Health and Institute for Social Research. She lived the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area most of the time from 1961 to 2009.
She earned a master’s degree in gerontology from U-M. Following that, she served for 11 years at the university as publications director for the Institute of Gerontology, retiring in 1985.
Most of her prior employment was in journalism working in the Midwest states on newspapers and magazines, including the Chicago Tribune and City News Bureau of Chicago, and periodicals for boaters and educators. Volunteer work included development of adult education programs at a small college in Appalachia and a women’s prison in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She loved to write, both professionally and for her own enjoyment. She wrote a treasure trove of stories and vignettes about her life, family and the people around her.
Actively interested in the social issues of her day, Eloise served in groups such as the original Advisory Committee to Affirmative Action Programs of the University of Michigan; Milan (Michigan) Public Schools Committee on Integration; and the Milan Area Committee on Aging. She was also active in PEO, a women’s organization, where she was a 70-year member.
She lived a healthy life until shortly before her death, involved in family activities, concerts at Michigan State University and Burcham Hills activities.
She is survived by her older brother William Edson of Minneapolis, her son David Snyder of Okemos, six grandchildren: Katrina Snyder of Sellersburg, Indiana; Jamey (Michele) Snyder of Saline; Tonya (David) Foote of Cullman, Alabama; as well as Jennie, Evan and Lindsay Snyder, all of Okemos. There are also 12 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a nephew, John (Arlys) Edson and daughter Lia of Plymouth, Minnesota.
Memorial contributions may be made to Aid in Milan, PEO Projects, People’s Presbyterian Church (Milan), or First Congregational Church (Ann Arbor).
— Submitted by David Snyder
