Lawrence "Larry" Keith Snyder

Lawrence Keith “Larry” Snyder, 84, of Condon died, Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Bend, Oregon.  A funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at 11 a.m. at the Condon Elks Lodge with concluding service and burial to follow.

He was born on November 5, 1936, in Klamath Falls, Oregon to Thirza and Charles Snyder, joining an older brother, Martin.  When his stepfather, Bill DeCew was drafted and sent to Florida for training during WWII, Martin and Larry stayed with their maternal grandparents, Henry and Mae Anderson in Merrill, Oregon located just south of Klamath falls.

Larry spent the first 13 years of his life in the Merrill area, attending grade and high school at Henley High School.  Summers were spent at the family cabin at Rocky Point on Upper Klamath Lake, boating, swimming, and fishing.

He graduated from Beaverton High School in 1954.  He attended Oregon State college, graduating in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science from the School of Agriculture, majoring in fish and wildlife management.  He was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.  Summer employment was on his uncle’s wheat farm near Pendleton.  Some of his favorite memories were the two summers he spent working for the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife on Kodiak Island, Alaska and Prince William Sound in Alaska.  He enjoyed telling his children and grandchildren about those adventures.

Larry met his wife Susan Myers at Oregon State college in 1957 and they married in Condon on September 4, 1958, returning to Corvallis so Larry could complete his senior year of college.  After graduation, they returned to the Myers farm near Condon.

In 1960 he began working for the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department at Idlewild Fish Hatchery on the North Umpqua River, east of Roseburg.  Their first child, daughter Thirza was born at Roseburg in October 1960.

Larry began working for the Oregon State Police as a Game Enforcement Officer in early 1961 and the family moved to Tillamook.  Larry spent the next five years there, and son Joe, was born in Tillamook.  In the spring of 1966, they returned to the Myers farm near Condon two more sons were added to the family, Bert in 1967 and Chuck in 1969.

The entire family worked on the ranch, all learning at an early age to operate the different pieces of farm machinery.  The family worked hard, but also made time for fun activities, including a trip to Disneyland, trips to the Oregon Coast, Sun River, Inn of the 7th Mountain and Canada.  When Thirza graduated from high school, they purchased an old motorhome and drove across the United States spending four weeks on the trip and creating many family memories.

Larry was a life member of the Oregon Wheat Growers League, Mt. Moriah Lodge #95 A.F. & A.M., Condon Lodge #1869 B.P.O.E. and National Rifle Association.  He also belonged to the Gilliam County Cattlemen.  He was President of the Gilliam County Wheat League, and co-chairman of the Oregon Wheat League Safety Committee. He served as Exalted Ruler of the Condon Elks in 1972 to 1973, and Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge the same year and always joked that when he was through initiating new members, they were probably half Elks and Half Masons!

Larry enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, and camping with the family and just being outdoors.  For several years he owned the flew airplanes.

After the farm was enrolled in the federal CRP program, he drove truck hauling garbage from Portland to the Waste Management facility near Arlington for a number of years.  He and Susan also worked as camp hosts at Bear Hollow and Shelton parks in Wheeler County.

Larry was preceded in death by his grandparents, Mae and Henry Anderson, his mother and stepfather, Thirza and Bill DeCew, his father and stepmother, Charles and Lyda Snyder, his brother Martin Snyder, and his son Bert Snyder. 

He is survived by his wife of almost 63 years Susan of Condon, daughter Thirza Kilgore and her husband Pat, of Boardman, son, Joe Snyder and his wife Kim of Condon, and son Chuck Snyder of the Dalles, daughter-in-law Lori Snyder of Condon as well as 14 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Gilliam County Historical Society, PO Box 377, Condon, Oregon 97823 or to Partners in Care Hospice, 2075 NE Wyatt Court, Bend, Oregon 97701

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