The Rev. Roy B. Snyder, 93, of Grace Village Retirement Community of Winona Lake, was “loosed away upward” at Grace Village Health Care at 3:10 p.m. Aug. 5, 2015. He was born June 15, 1922, in Altoona, Pa., to Sheldon and Mabel Guyer Snyder, where he grew up in a family of six children. On Aug. 9, 1947, in Philadelphia, Pa., he married Ruth Croker, who went to be with the Lord March 10, 2009. He was a 1940 graduate of Altoona High School in Pennsylvania. After, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. During World War II he spent six months in the Signal Corps Reserves and then went on active duty for 34 months. More than two years were served overseas with the American Forces Network in England and Germany as a radio operator and studio engineer. After his discharge from the military, he went to Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake to prepare for missionary service. During his seminary years he sang in the male quartet and was associate editor of the first Grace yearbook. He met his wife while at school, and along with her, he went on to complete his studies in theology and they both graduated in 1949. In fall 1949, they left for Paris where they had 10 months of French language study. In July 1950, they continued on to French Equatorial Africa, in the province of Oubangui Chari. He was a missionary pastor working with African pastors and churches during the 35 years he served in Africa. Due to a serious heart attack in 1983, he was unable to return to Africa. During his retirement years he worked for 12 years with the Senior Saints at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, where he was also a faithful member. In 1991, he began writing a monthly newsletter for retired missionaries, and in 1999 he was given the Excellence in Ministry Award by the Grace Brethren National Ministerium. In 2000, he received the Faithful Servant Award from Grace Brethren International Missions. Survivors are: two sisters, Doris Walter, San Antonio, Texas, and Audrey Wincovitch, Wake Forest, N.C.; 24 nieces and nephews; and he was thankful for the assistance and blessing from his adopted daughter, Tanya Waggoner Kempton. He also was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, officiated by Pastor Tom Miller. Burial is in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw. Calling is from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw. ***** Memorials to Encompass World Partners (formerly Grace Brethren International Missions), P.O. Box 80065, City of Industry, CA 91716. Condolences via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com
