Submitted by: Dan Rich

Merton Bruce Snyder

Jan. 11, 1952 - April 12, 2004

South Bend Tribune 4/14/2004

Merton Bruce Snyder, 52, residing on Central Avenue, South Bend, Ind., passed away at 5:20 a.m. Monday, April 12, in the emergency room of South Bend Memorial Hospital. He was born Jan. 11, 1952 in Plymouth, Ind., as the son of Merton Elmer & Jessie (Becker) Snyder, and has lived in Marshall and St. Joseph counties all of his life.

On March 17, 1979 in Grace Baptist Church, South Bend, he married Bonnie Lynn Aurand. Bruce is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Bonnie, along with his two daughters, Rebekah and Anna Snyder, both of South Bend; his mother, Jessie Snyder of Lake of the Woods, Ind.; two sisters, Sandra (Fred) Cook of Plymouth; Nancy (Darrel) Lee of Argos; and his two brothers, Stephen (Margie) Snyder of South Bend and Stewart (Rosemary) Snyder of Plymouth. Also surviving Bruce is his father and mother-in-law, Lewis and Betty Aurand of Edwardsburg, Mich.; two sisters-in-law, Debbie (Randy) Anderson of South Bend; Dawn (Jim) Wise of Nappanee, Ind.; and two brothers-in-law, Paul (Pam) Aurand of South Bend and Dave (Sue) Aurand of Granger.

Bruce had been employed with the United States Postal Service for the past 24 1/2 years, where he was currently serving as customer service supervisor at the Chippewa office. He was a graduate of Bob Jones University, and a member of Community Baptist Church in South Bend, where he also played in the church orchestra.

Services for Mr. Snyder will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 16, in Community Baptist Church, 5715 Miami Road, South Bend. Dr. Bud Steadman, pastor, will officiate. Graveside services and burial will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola. The family will receive friends from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 15, in the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan St., South Bend, and one hour prior to services Friday in the church. The family requests that memorial gifts in memory of Merton Bruce Snyder be offered to Community Baptist Church or Gideon's International.