Wilma Jean Snyder

Wilma Jean Snyder, Noblesville, Ind., 84, passed away peacefully in her own bed on October 13, 2008 after a long and arduous journey with lung cancer.
Born to Archibald Wayman and Retta (Jarrett) Byers on August 7, 1924, "Jean" grew up on the Southside of Indianapolis and graduated from Emmerich Manual High School in 1941. With a love for fashion and art, she began her career with the William H. Block Company as a retail clerk and later worked for Hillman's on the Circle, for whom she also provided illustration for their advertising.
After a whirlwind 11-day romance that began beneath the "stars" of the Indiana Roof, she married William ("Bill") Nicklaus Snyder on November 25, 1945. They built a marriage based on partnership and love, cashing in the equity in their home to launch Snyder's Marathon at 38th and Sherman Drive in 1954. Their early years included laughter, travel, friends and stories that would last them a lifetime.
After 14 years of marriage, Jean gave birth to their only child, Patricia Joan, to whom she instilled a love of writing, music, dance, food preparation and humor. After moving both home and business to Carmel in the late 1960s, the family settled into a comfortable suburban existence of which Jean headed up the "entertainment committee." 
Following Bill's death in 1984, Jean found solace in visiting her beloved niece Carol Ann Hickman Jones, San Diego, Calif., who not only introduced her to the delights of margaritas on the patio of the "Hotel Del," but who spearheaded memorable trips to Tijuana and Las Vegas. Jean became a Jimmy Buffett fan, traveling to Grove City, Ohio to attend a concert with her sister-in-law when tickets weren't available at the then-Deer Creek Music Center. She bowled with "The Alley Cats" at Nora Bowl and took up golf. She began writing poetry again as well as resuming her painting. She wrote local theatre reviews for the Indianapolis Weekly and Indianapolis Register and wrote a regular column about grand parenting for Indy's Child. She was one of the "Golden Girls."
A heart attack in 2000 sent her to the cardio-rehab group at Riverview Hospital where she enjoyed making a whole new batch of delightful, vibrant friends who met regularly for lunch and dinner and later visited after her health no longer allowed her to venture out. 
She will be greatly missed by all of these people and more ... and surely by "Zeke," the faithful canine who gave her slightly more comfort than annoyance.
She was ... and will forever remain ... the beloved "Granny Bunhead" of Rose Elizabeth Pickett Campbell (James) and Kathleen (Kat) Claire Pickett (Justin Wedmore). To them she passed along the importance of family tradition, properly setting a table (!) and never being shy about voicing one's opinions. Great-grandson Charles T. Wedmore will count on "Auntie Rou" and "Mom Kat" to inspire these things in him. He quickly became the apple of his great granny's eye and undoubtedly extended her life and enhanced her joy during her last months.
Friends and family are cordially invited to gather at the Forest Park Inn on Friday, October 24 with calling beginning at 11 a.m. and memorial service at 11:30 followed by lunch. Please come and share a story about Jean and a enjoy bit of food ... just as she would have wished.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Easter Seals Crossroads (www.crossroads.easterseals.com) or Hamilton County Habitat for Humanity.