“Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”

This man was my grandfather... He was a pretty awesome individual. For the past few years and especially the past few months, he was struggling to hang on and fighting like a champion. He went through a lot of pain, a lot of fear, and fought on like a true Snyder man. I can't believe he's gone but he will forever live on in my heart and I will forever admire his courage in facing his illnesses and weaknesses. It takes a strong man to fight through the things that ailed him and an even stronger woman to stand by that man.

The Snyder family as a whole can be a stubborn bunch and sometimes we butt heads, but one thing always pulls us together and rallies us to our family: love. Pappy's life and death helped to keep a family united in prayer and in hopes.

From a little girl to now, I have always admired how this man bounced back when faced with adversity. Hospital visit after hospital visit he fought to live on and it serves as a reminder to every member of our wacky family that no matter what, you can't give up on life! Things will knock you down, but you have to keep hope and keep your faith in God that we will make it through hardships. Every person has setbacks, injuries, and misfortunes but it is in these tribulations that we find strength and preserverance. My grandfather was a good man and he helped me find these very things in myself. All the times we held our breath waiting to see what happened next...well sometimes I think he had a laugh at how riled up we could get!

So lets not remember all of the suffering he went through but rather the strong person he was and how much he loved his family. When we question each other, lets look back on how we rallied to his side and remember what family means.

I will never, ever in my life forget my grandfather. I will remember how he could pick on me and how he could just pick me up and hug me. He was an extremely important man in my life and I know he was to my father.

Rest in peace, Pappy. And stay strong, Nan... You have struggled these past few months and now you can rest knowing you did everything you could and were the foundation for his and all of our strength. I know he was grateful for your love and devotion.

"I don't believe in pessimism. If something doesn't come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it's going to rain, it will. "
Clint Eastwood

http://obits.pennlive.com/obituaries/pennlive/obituary.aspx?n=william-edward-snyder&pid=140249403