Obituary
Suzanne Beth Snyder of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 66, passed away on July 22nd, 2024 surrounded by loved ones after a valiant fight with metastatic breast cancer. She is survived by her loving partner Craig, children Nathaniel, Kearsten, and Rob, their partners, Katie, Chris, and Lexie, grandchild Margo, ex-husband Rich, and brothers Rob, Dave, and Mark, and their
spouses Carol, Laurel, and Cynthia.
Born in Mountain Lakes, NJ in 1957, Suzanne and her three brothers often referenced the Christian heritage role modeled by their loving parents, Betty and Bob. Her passion for art, cooking, and caring for others developed at an early age which led her to Cornell in pursuit of a degree in Hotel Administration. It was there that she met her two lifelong friends Liz Figura and Diane Lerner. Together they traveled, immersing themselves in new cultures to gain a deeper appreciation of the world around them.
Her post-graduate life began in Chicago where she developed roots in the community, joining La Salle St. Church and beginning a lifetime of philanthropic work. She joined the board of Cabrini Green Legal Aid and sought justice for El Salvadoran refugees. Simultaneously, her independent thinking brought recognition in her professional life, creating an opportunity to take on an expanded leadership role in NC.
There, the house was full of music, art, and laughter as Suzanne emboldened her children to express their creativity. She found the balance between discipline and encouragement as she passed her ideals along to her children. As her kids grew, they remained close, always looking to her for guidance and wisdom.
She was grateful for a fulfilling and varied career at Sodexo that allowed her autonomy to pursue her creative ideas in many different roles. She had the opportunity to lead and work with various teams over the years including people from around the world.
Suzanne retired in 2014. Four years later, she met her partner Craig and they shared a life full of theater, concerts, and art. She continued to improve the lives of those around her by tutoring in an underserved school, volunteering at a World Relief summer camp, and serving on the leadership teams for both Children’s Day Preschool and The Gathering Church.
Suzanne’s faith and care for others was woven into every aspect of her life. She made the world a better place and will be deeply missed.
Per her wishes, Suzanne was buried at BlueStem Cemetery, a nature preserve in Cedar Grove, NC.
A celebration of her life will be held on 8/17/24 at 11 am at Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church, 927 W. Trinity Avenue Durham, NC 27701. In lieu of flowers, Suzanne requested donations to be made to:
Gathering Church
1415 W. NC 54, Suite 114
Durham, NC 27707
Equal Justice Initiative
122 Commerce St.
Montgomery, AL 36104
Children’s Day Preschool
104 Jefferson St.
Passaic, NJ 07055