Leonard Godfrey Snyder
Len was also an excellent woodcarver and truly a larger than life character who almost always left people laughing and smiling.
Services will be held on Saturday, November 9th at 1:30 pm at the Brossman Ballroom Freemason Cultural Center Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, Pa. with a luncheon served immediately afterwards.
Leonard Godfrey Snyder, 95, passed from our world on Sunday, August 25, 2024 after six (6) years at the Masonic Village (Elizabethtown) where he was beloved by staff and fellow residents for his wit and humor, his singing and his colorful jokes. Married to Betty for 71 years, together they raised four (4) children: David (wife Lani), Lauri, Thom (wife Cathy) and Anne as well as four (4) grandchildren, Emily (husband Dan), Marc, Marisa and Luke and two great-grandchildren, Owen and Elliot.
Born in 1929 in Lebanon, PA, his grandparents, his mother, and 9 aunts and uncles surrounded him with love. His grandmother, Sevilla, was Len’s primary caregiver and at about 4’ 10” was indisputably in charge. Len grew large and strong and looked older than his age. At only 15 he was starting center and middle linebacker for his high school football team. At 16, Len lied about his age and enlisted to serve in the US Army during WWII. He tested so well the Army made him an MP. In addition to corralling disorderly US soldiers in occupied Germany, he was in charge of the Bad Tolz brig where prisoners headed to trial at Nuremberg were held and protected from German snipers.
Returning home, he met Betty, and had many different jobs: milkman, paint salesman, insurance, and many auto sales and GM roles around Lancaster. Nicknamed Clem by his numerous friends, Leonard was very generous with others even when he did not have a lot himself. Meaningfully, he pledged as a freemason and later became Worshipful Master of the Casiphia Lodge #551 in Mt. Joy (now Ashara-Casiphia) building many lifelong friendships.
Len loved being the GM at Indian Springs Golf Club (now Four Seasons) where he introduced early golf simulator screens and built their first miniature golf course. Many fond memories were created while working with his oldest son, David, at Len Snyder’s Used Cars in Mountville, Pa. When Len retired he worked the pro shop and was a marshal at Four Seasons and was an avid golfer, sporting a 7 handicap at one time. An ardent fan of the Phillies and Eagles, Len was also an excellent woodcarver and truly a larger than life character who almost always left people laughing and smiling.
Len loved dogs very much and so, in lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made to: Charlie’s Crusaders, a 501(c)(3) non-profit pet rescue and foster organization at charliescrusaders.org. Services will be held on Saturday, November 9th at 1:30 pm at the Brossman Ballroom Freemason Cultural Center Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, Pa. with a luncheon served immediately afterwards. For further information please contact the MV event coordinator at 717-367-1121 Ext 33472. The family is being assisted by the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home at www.clydekraft.com.
Send a Condolence
If you would like to send a condolence message to a family please fill out the form below and we will deliver it to them.