Battling Cancer, Philanthropic Ridgewood Couple Die Weeks Apart

The following obituary was submitted by Feeney Funeral Home in Ridgewood.

Sara “Sally” Bruce Snyder, 77, of Wyckoff, formerly of Ridgewood, NJ died peacefully on November 6, 2012 at the home of her daughter in Severna Park, MD. The cause of death was breast cancer.  

John Austen Snyder, 79, also from Wyckoff and formerly of Ridgewood, died peacefully on November 18, 2012 at the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff, NJ. The cause of death was prostate cancer.

Sally was born on April 17, 1935 in Milwaukee, WI, the daughter of Jackson and Harriet Edgell Bruce. She grew up in Milwaukee where she attended the Milwaukee Downer Seminary, and then graduated from the Woodstock Country School in Woodstock, VT. She graduated from Wellesley College, class of 1957, and trained at Bank Street College of Education in NYC.  

John was born on June 25, 1933 in Passaic, NJ, the son of Austen and Margaret Overacre Snyder. He grew up in Ridgewood and attended Ridgewood High School. He graduated from Princeton University, class of 1955, and was a member of Tower Club. He served two years in the U.S. Army in Germany.

Sally and John were happily married on August 22, 1959 and remained so for 53 years. They lived most of their married life in Ridgewood where they raised their family. The couple were active parishioners of Christ Episcopal Church. John served on the Vestry as well as Warden while Sally served on several committees of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark.

Before starting their family, Sally taught at the Bank Street School for Children. After moving to Ridgewood, she became an a dedicated community volunteer. She was active in the College Club of Ridgewood, and the Wellesley College Alumnae Club. She was an avid reader, writer and a student of literature.

John retired as senior vice-president of human resources at The Bank of New York and then worked for the pension fund of the Episcopal Church in New York City.

As an influential community leader, he served on the board of the Family Counseling Service of Ridgewood for nine years and was president in 1985-1986; he was a member of the Honorary Board of Children’s Aid and Family Services from 1995 until his death. John was a member of the Somerville Award Committee of the Ridgewood Public Schools, a trustee of the Ridgewood Education Foundation, and a leader in the restoration of Van Neste Park in Ridgewood. He was also an active member of the Ridgewood A.M. Rotary.

Sally and John are survived by their daughters Susan S. Austin and her husband David, of St. Paul, MN and Ann S. Mooradian and her husband, David, of Severna Park, MD., and granddaughters Kate Austin and Sara and Morgan Mooradian; Sally’s brother, Dr. Calvin Bruce and his wife Cathy of Madison, WI, her brother Jackson Bruce and his wife Lilias of Milwaukee. WI., John’s sister, Virginia Bartholomew of Huntington, NY, and a wide circle of beloved and devoted friends.

A Memorial Service for John and Sally will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, December 2, 2012 at Christ Episcopal Church, corner of Franklin Avenue and Cottage Place, Ridgewood. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to:

The Valley Hospital Foundation
223 N. Van Dien Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ  07450
 
Hospice of the Chesapeake
445 Defense Highway
Annapolis, MD  21401
 
Christ Episcopal Church
105 Cottage Place
Ridgewood, NJ 07450