View source for Snyder, Joseph Gingrich (1928-2013)

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Joseph G. “Joe” Snyder: cattle breeder, church leader and hockey coach, was born 24 June 1928 on the family farm, Oak Shade Farm, Waterloo Township, [[Waterloo County (Ontario, Canada)|Waterloo County]], [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]], [[Canada]] to Edwin Snyder (31 October 1887-27 April 1947) and Leah Gingrich (5 May 1891-10 June 1950). He was the youngest child of five sons and two daughters. On 10 May 1952 he married Beatrice Martin (1930- ) at [[St. Jacobs Mennonite Church (St. Jacobs, Ontario, Canada)|St. Jacobs Mennonite Church]]. They had four daughters and two sons and were married over 61 years. Joe died 20 March 2013 at the Freeport Health Centre, Grand River Hospital in [[Kitchener-Waterloo (Ontario, Canada)|Kitchener]], Ontario. The funeral took place at the [[Elmira Mennonite Church (Elmira, Ontario, Canada)|Elmira Mennonite Church]], his home congregation. Interment was in the church cemetery.

By age seven Joe was given the responsibility of milking a few cows by hand before milking machines arrived at the Snyder farm. Joe attended Martin Public School and graduated from eighth grade at age 13. He transferred to Conestoga School for ninth grade and at age 14 his formal education was complete. As a teenager, he and his older brother were responsible for a pure bred Holstein herd of cattle. In 1949, in a dispersal sale, the herd was sold and brought the second highest amount in Canada to that time.

For 11 years Joe and his older brother, Roy Snyder, were owners of the Waterloo County Breeding Association, an enterprise which they initiated. The business was the first in the world to produce 100 percent frozen semen for cattle insemination. Joe was appointed Holstein Field Man for the Holstein, Canada association, and Secretary Manager of the Ontario Holstein Branch. For 13 years Joe headed up what was voted the best Holstein Show in the world in Madison, Wisconsin. He was a highly regarded judge of cattle. Joe was involved with the Ontario Mennonite Relief Heifer Sale for 32 years, ten as the chairman. Joe and Beatrice Snyder travelled abroad extensively in conjunction with the responsibilities of his profession.

Twice in one year Joe Snyder was honored publicly for his work. In 2006 he was inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame and also into the Waterloo County Hall of Fame.

The Snyder family attended Elmira Mennonite Church where Joe took on many responsibilities, including chair of church council and chair of the elders. He also was active in in the work of the church beyond the local congregation. He began serving on the Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario in 1966, and served for several years as its president. He became assistant moderator of the Mennonite Conference of Ontario in 1975, and served as moderator from 1976-1978. He was the first non-ordained moderator of the conference. 

After his retirement he spent five years as manager of The Mennonite Story, an interpretive center in St. Jacobs. Joe also served as a member of the board of [[Conrad Grebel University College (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)|Conrad Grebel College]] from 1988-1994 and on the board of Fairview Mennonite Home.

Ice hockey was a prominent activity of Joe’s family. Joe was president of the Woolwich Minor Hockey Association and coached the Elmira Mennonite men’s hockey team. The Snyder family and hockey went hand in hand. One of Joe’s sons coached Canada’s Paralympic Sledge Hockey Team and a grandson, Dan, was a member of the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League. 

Joe Snyder was highly respected and had great credibility in his profession, in the broader Mennonite Church and in the community. He was an excellent communicator and had first-rate organizational skills. As a servant leader, he acted with humility in all his roles.
= Bibliography =
Gingrich, Del, E. “Celebrating Seniors.” Elmira Mennonite Church Library. 2010.

Gingrich, Del, E. Eulogy; “Joseph G. (Joe) Snyder.” Elmira Mennonite Church, March, 2013.

“Joseph G. (Joe) Snyder.” ''Waterloo Region Record'' (21 March 2013). http://www.lifenews.ca/announcement/2510656-snyder-joseph-g-joe-.

Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame, Milton, Ontario, 2006. http://www.oahf.on.ca/pdf/Snyder.pdf.

Waterloo County Hall of Fame, Waterloo Region, Ontario, 2006. http://www.waterlooregionmuseum.com/region-hall-of-fame/inductees-s-to-v/.
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[[Category:Persons]]
[[Category:Community Leaders]]
[[Category:Conference Leaders]]