Patricia Ann Tucker Snyder, 90, formerly of Delphi, passed away at 1:06 a.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at IU White Memorial Hospital in Monticello, after a brief illness. She moved to Monticello to live with her daughter in June 2021.
She was born June 25, 1931, in Indianapolis, to Zenith and Mary Elizabeth Johnson Tucker. She was a 1949 graduate of Arsenal Tech in Indianapolis. Her marriage was to Willis A. Snyder in Indianapolis, on Aug. 26, 1949; he preceded her in death on Feb. 18, 2020.
Within a three-month time span, Patricia graduated high school, met Willis, accepted his marriage proposal, and became his wife. She exchanged her parents’ comfortable home for a 400-square-foot cottage at Frankfort Pilgrim Holiness Bible College. They endured severe financial hardship, but once Willis completed school, they had five years of comfortable living. Then, following the Lord’s leading, she and Willis packed up their two children, two pet rabbits, and a small trailer of belongings and moved to Lamont, Kansas, population 60. The home that awaited them had been empty for several years. Besides no indoor plumbing, it was so drafty that during that first winter the water in the fishbowl froze. This city girl was out of her element. She was homesick and aware that people expected her to fail. She was without many necessities of life and had to watch her children go without as well. All the while, she knew she could call home at any time and her parents would provide immediate rescue. But rather than call upon her earthly father, Patricia faithfully called upon her Heavenly Father, who in turn faithfully met her every need.
Patricia and Willis served five churches during their 20 years of ministry. While Willis was in the pulpit, Patricia was at the piano, the organ, in the Sunday school classroom, the kitchen preparing meals for visiting missionaries, evangelists and church and community members, in the parsonage attending to the needs of their five children and making sure the home was always presentable for unexpected guests, plus, any variety of other roles as needed. There’s no doubt after taking her final breath on this earth, she was immediately rewarded with the ultimate praise of “well done, my good and faithful servant.”
She and her husband moved to Delphi in 1974 when he became senior pastor of the Delphi Wesleyan Church. She managed the former Dairy Barn Convenience Store & Gas Station in Delphi for 18 years. She then went to work at Dave’s IGA for 12 years and Wallmann’s Quality Foods in Delphi for five years.
Patricia attended the First Assembly of God churches in Lafayette and Delphi, and since living in Monticello, the Monticello United Methodist Church.
Patricia’s greatest joy was her family and spending as much time as she could with them. She dearly loved them all and enjoyed attending her many grandchildren’s school and sporting functions.
Surviving are daughter Cheryl Thyer (Robert) of Jacksonville, Fla., son Kenneth Snyder (Jane) of Cannelton, daughter Elizabeth “Liz” Little (Vernon) of Monticello, and son Jonathan Snyder (Carina) of Zionsville; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Virginia N. Snyder Long; a sister; a brother; and a grandson, Timothy Snyder.
Visitation will be Saturday from 11 a.m. until her funeral service at 1 p.m. at Abbott Funeral Home, Inc., Delphi. Her family will officiate. Burial will follow at the IOOF Memorial Gardens, Pittsburg.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
To view her obituary or send an online condolence to the family, visit: www.abbottfuneralhome.com.