- Date Of Birth: December 1, 1939
- Date Of Death: February 16, 2013
- State: Illinois
Donald Lester Snider, M.D. F.A.C.S., 73, of Jacksonville, died Sat, Feb. 16, 2013, at University Hospital in Indianapolis, IN.
He was born Dec. 1, 1939, in Akron, OH, the son of Elwin Robert and Ruth (Crow) Snider, and grew up on a farm in Northern Ohio. He married Dona Rowell on January 22, 1966, in Saugerties, NY and she survives.
He is also survived by a son, William Christopher Snider, D.O., wife, Kristin (Baker) of Helena, MT; two daughters, Rebecca Dawn Snider of Tampa, FL, and Ruth Elizabeth “Betsy” Snider of Jacksonville, IL; one granddaughter, Hazel Mae Snider, of Helena, MT; and one brother-in-law, Charles Rowell, Jr. (wife, Kathy) of Toledo, OH. He was preceded in death by his parents and one daughter, Rachel Caroline Snider.
Dr. Snider was a graduate of Western Reserve Academy (1957) in Hudson, OH, and a 1958 graduate of Sutton Valance School in Maidstone, Kent, England, as an English Speaking Union Fellow. He went on to graduate with a BA in Theology from Haverford College in Haverford, PA, in 1962. There he was a Honorable Mention All-American in soccer, and was a member of the cricket team. His education continued at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, and graduated in May of 1966. Dr. Snider completed his residency in general surgery at Roosevelt Hospital in New York from 1966 to 1972.
Dr. Snider served on the staff of Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes, IN, from 1972 to 2004, Cherokee County Hospital in Centre AL, from 2004 to 2006, and Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville from 2006 to 2011. He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery. He was a member of the Knox County Indiana Medical Society where he served as president from 1980 to 1981, and also from 2001 to 2002. He was also a past member of Indiana State Medical Association, where he served on the Impaired Physicians Committee, Board of Directors in 1982.
In 2004, Dr. Snider was honored as a recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash, which was presented by Governor O’Bannon. He received this award based on nominations for his dedication to community service, and is the highest civilian award in the state of Indiana.
Dr. Snider was a dedicated member of Rotary International from 1976 to the present, and a Paul Harris Fellow. He served as President of the Vincennes Rotary Club from 1980 to 1981, and Sergeant of Arms from 1999 to 2004. He was a past member of the Rotary Club of Centre, AL, and a current member of the Sunrise Rotary Club in Jacksonville, IL. He died having achieved perfect attendance for over 42 years.
Dr. Snider was a life member of Elks and attended Elks Lodge #291. He servedas President of the Northwest Territory Art Guild from 1998 to 2004. He was also President of the Illiana Cypress Audubon Society from 1998 to 2001. He was a past member of American Red Cross, and served on the Knox County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors from 1980 to 1982. Additionally, he served on the YMCA Board of Directors, was a Trustee of the First Baptist Church, and a former member and treasurer of the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation Board in Vincennes,IN.
Dr. Snider had an equal love for the outdoors as he had for his community. He was a member and director of the American Medical Fly Fishing Association, serving as President in 1996. As a surgeon, Dr. Snider was equally adept with a scalpel and a fly rod. With his catch and release fishing, he likely met most of the fish in the Madison River in Montana. He was passionate about fly fishing and tying his own flies for bait. He also was an outstanding photographer and leaves a legacy of thousands of beautiful photographs from the American West. He also enjoyed collecting antiques, watching the Cleveland Brown’s, cheering on the St Louis Cardinal’s, and most of all, rooting for Hoosier basketball.
