Terra Haute
Alma Royalty Snyder, 82, of Terre Haute, formerly of North Vernon, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at Meadows Manor North in Terre Haute.
A funeral service will be conducted at noon Saturday, March 7, 2015, at Sawyer-Pickett Funeral & Cremation Service in North Vernon. The Rev. Jeff Hood will officiate. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m until service time Saturday. Burial will be in First Marion Baptist Church Cemetery in Commiskey.
The eldest of four children, Alma Royalty Snyder was born June 14, 1932, in Paris Crossing, Indiana, to (Rufus) Donald Royalty and Nellie (Taylor) Royalty. She left Purdue University after her sophomore year to marry Donald Snyder, and then returned 13 years later to get her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She earned a master’s degree from Ball State and taught kindergarten and first grade.
In addition to teaching, Alma loved tending to her yard and flowers, rebating, quilting, playing the piano, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Despite serious physical ailments, including diabetes, stroke, and breast cancer, Alma lived life on her own terms. Vowing not to die of cancer, she was one of few people to live with multiple myeloma for nearly 25 years. Refusing chemotherapy, she had multiple rounds of radiation and surgeries until she beat the disease into remission.
In 2007, she moved to an assisted living facility (Cannon Inn) in Terre Haute, Indiana, near her son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter. A lifelong voracious reader, she spent nearly every waking hour immersed in books that were delivered to her by the dozens.
She was preceded in death by Don, her husband of 47 years, her parents and a brother, Rufus Donald Royalty Jr.
She is survived by three children, Donald (Sarah) Snyder of Westport, Indiana, George (Debbie) Snyder of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Barbara (Yvon) Snyder of Mason, Ohio; grandsons,DJ and Dustin; granddaughters, Kristin and Kelsey; sisters, Wilma (Roger) Morin and Irene (Robert) Engle; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the caring staff at Cannon Inn assisted living facility and Meadows North nursing home.
Friends and family are invited to light a candle or leave a message of condolence in Alma’s memory at www.sawyerfuneralservice.com.
