William "Duke" Everett Snyder Jr.

          William E. (Duke) Snyder Jr., age 85, of Silver Creek, NY, formerly of Laporte, PA, passed away on Monday, February 28, 2022 at the Brooks Memorial Hospital, in Dunkirk, NY.

          He was born February 17, 1937, in Sonestown, PA, a son of the late William E. & Nedra T. Kline Snyder.  He graduated from the Sullivan Highland High School, a member of the class of 1955.

          “Duke” was a man of many nicknames and talents. In the Silver Creek area where he lived for many years, he was known as “Duke” after the professional baseball player Duke Snider. To his family, he was either “Butch”, “Billy”, or “Junior”. For 43 years he worked many different jobs at the Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna Plant, ending his career working in the DX Room mixing the gases for steel processing. He was also a bonded locksmith and repaired hydraulic jacks. His talent was being able to fix anything, no matter how long it took or how often you skinned your knuckles. Many times, he would tear apart perfectly good items to figure out how they worked.

          He was also an avid outdoorsman: hunting, fishing, or simply watching and tracking wildlife. He kept a record of all his hunting experiences from the age of 12. If you wanted to know what animal made that track or if groundhogs growled, you could ask Duke. He was also very involved with his garden each summer, doing research in the winter months on different methods of growing and cultivating crops.

Surviving are:

Sister:

Rebecca Snyder and William Anderson          Indiana, PA

Nephews:

Jay & Jennifer Snyder                                                 Alexandria, VA

Richard and Karen Snyder                                          Trinity, FL

Great Nieces:

Katelyn Snyder & David Murr                         Parkland, FL

Kelly Snyder                                                                Seattle, WA

Cousins:

Eugene & Ann Kline                                                   Watsontown, PA

Coletta Katz                                                                 Lauderdale by the Sea, FL

Andy & Patty Kline                                                    Williamsport, PA

Allison & Matt La Pointe                                           Millington, NJ

Pete & Charlotte McCall                                             Suffolk, VA

          Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Russell (Skip) Snyder of Mineola, TX in 2004 and sister-in-law, D. Louise Culver Snyder in 2021.

          Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. at the P. Dean Homer Funeral Home, 206 Water St., Dushore, PA.  Interment will be in the Mountain Ash Cemetery, Laporte, PA.

          Friends may call on Wednesday from 10:00 AM until the time of the service.

          The family will provide flowers. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Laporte Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 31, Laporte, PA 18626 or the Silver Creek Volunteer Fire Department, 172 Central Ave., Silver Creek, NY 14136.

          Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Homer Funeral Home, 206 Water St., Dushore, PA 18614.

          To send condolences or sign the e-guestbook, please go to homerfuneralhome.com.