Snider, Howard Mervin (1923-2015)

Mennonite World Review obituary: 2015 Aug 17 p. 15

Birth date: 1923 Mar 19

Text of obituary:

Howard Snider

Howard Mervin Snider, 92, Bethel College professor emeritus, died Aug. 2, 2015, in North Newton, Kan. He was born March 19, 1923, to Clemens and Samantha (Biehn) Snider in Guernsey, Sask.

He finished high school at Rosthern (Sask.) Academy in 1942. In the mid-1940s, he did alternative service in Saskatchewan, then had a short term of study at Canadian Bible Institute in Regina. After several years of working on farms in Alberta and Saskatchewan, he attended Eastern Mennonite College, Harrisonburg, Va., in 1948-49.

Back in his home community, he purchased a farm and was ordained minister in Sharon Mennonite Church in 1950. In 1953, he went to Goshen (Ind.) College to complete college and attend seminary. Here he met Marie Gingerich from Lowville, N. Y., and they were married Nov. 27, 1954.

He then wrote adult Sunday school curriculum at Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pa. In 1957, both he and Marie graduated from Goshen Biblical Seminary and moved to Edmonton, Alta., where he became pastor of the newly formed Holyrood Mennonite Church. He also prepared from college teaching and earned a master's degree in sociology from the University of Alberta. After a brief stint as regional pastor for Mennonite university students in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, he and his family moved to North Newton in 1966. He taught at Bethel College for almost 30 years. He earned a Ph. D. from the University of Kansas.

He traveled widely, with multiple trips across the United States and Canada and study trips to South and Central America and the Caribbean. Until age 78, he went skiing with a friend each winter.

Based on his interest in sociology of religion, he authored four books about theology since retirement. His last book will be published this month.

Survivors include his wife, Marie; daughter Vada Snider of North Newton; son Conrad Snider of Newton; and brother and sister-in-law James and Roberta Gingerich of Moundridge.

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Verda Weber, Elva Heintz and Orval Snider.

Memorial services will be held Aug. 17 at Bethel College Mennonite Church.

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Mennonite World Review obituary: 2015 Aug 17 p. 19

Text of obituary:

Sociology professor was a lifeling learner

NORTH NEWTON, Kan. — Howard M. Snider, Bethel College professor emeritus of sociology, died Aug. 2 in North Newton. He was 92.

Snider taught at Bethel from 1966 until his official retirement in 1992. He continued to teach courses at Bethel and other colleges until 2000.

Social geography and sociology of religion were his special interests. In the 1970s, he initiated interterm seminar courses that introduced rural students to city life in Denver, Kansas City and Chicago. In a reverse of this experience, he also placed city students with local farm families.

In the 1970s and '80s, Snider spent sabbaticals in Central America, studying transplanted Mennonites. It was a volatile time in Central America, with violence used to suppress the masses.

Before entering the field of sociology, Snider earned a divinity degree from Goshen (Ind.) Biblical Seminary and served as founding pastor of Holyrood Mennonite Church in Edmonton, Alta.

His lifelong interest in theology came to rich fruition during the last decade of his life. He self-published three books: The Cultural Creation of Christianity, Jesus or Christ and Two Gospels. His final book, Knowing the Unknowable, deals with gnosticism and was completed two weeks before his death.

Survivors include his wife, Marie, and children, Vada and Conrad.

A memorial service is being held Aug. 17 at Bethel College Mennonite Church.