Ethel Mae (Kiehna) SNYDER

KIEHNA, CODY, SNYDER, JOHNSON, LEHFELDT, HAAS, COX, SWANK

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/26/2013 at 15:52:48

November 17, 1925 --- December 17, 2013

Ethel Mae Snyder died Dec. 17, 2013, at the age of 88. She and her twin sister, Esther, were born Nov. 17, 1925, on a farm near Dows, Iowa, to Louis Peter and Hazel Cody Kiehna. In 1933, she moved to Billings with her mother, Esther, and older sister Dorothy to live with her grandmother on North 30th Street. She attended McKinley School, Lincoln Junior High School, and Billings Senior High School, graduating in 1943 (the first class to attend all three years at the new high school). Her granddaughters Alison and Sara also attended McKinley from kindergarten through the sixth grade, and will graduate from Billings Senior. In 1945 she enrolled at Denver University and received her associate degree in secretarial science. While taking a business math class at DU, she met and fell in love with Myron Snyder of Trinidad, Colo. They were married in 1947 in Billings in the old First Methodist Church and loved and cared for each other for almost 57 years until Myron's death in 2004. In 1953, they moved from Denver to Billings so Myron could establish and grow his accounting practice, and they could raise their four children.

Ethel was active in the First United Methodist Church, especially in Circle. She kept the scrapbook for the United Methodist Women, and counted church collection-plate offerings for years. She was a member of the Wingate Lane Sewing Club which began in 1953. Ethel and Myron were avid square dancers for over 35 years. They loved hiking, fishing and camping in tents and trailers. Until Myron's health began to fail, virtually every weekend during the summers would find them camping in their trailer. Mom also loved being a homemaker, cooking large family dinners for birthdays and holidays, sewing for her grandchildren, and taking care of her cats.

Ethel was preceded in death by her twin sister, Esther Johnson, and her husband, Myron. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Haas; her children, Nancy Lehfeldt (Jeff), Stuart (Connie), Scott (Judy), and David (Jessica); her grandchildren, Tanya Lehfeldt (Shane Cox), Lewis Lehfeldt, Shann Snyder (Nicole Swank), Shea Snyder, Alison Snyder, Sara Snyder, Jacob Snyder and Ava Snyder; her great-granddaughter, Taylee Snyder, and several nephews and nieces.

Mom, you are a beautiful, generous soul filled with love and compassion. You will be deeply missed, but we are comforted that you are finally reunited with Dad in peace. Your spirit lives on in us. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, at the Billings First United Methodist Church on Fourth Avenue North and North Broadway.

The Billings Gazette - Billings, Montana
December 20, 2013