Houston Snyder

Mar 6, 1951 -

Feb 7, 2022

Houston Snyder, 70, passed away peacefully at home in Palmer, Alaska, on Feb. 7, 2022, after a brave two-year battle with lung cancer.

Houston was born in Tennessee to Charles and Dolores Snyder. At age 16, he moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, with his family. He graduated from Ben Eielson High School in 1970. Houston enjoyed a long career in the power industry, working in military power plants early on and retiring from Municipal Light and Power after 24 years.

He married the love of his life, Terry, in 1999, after a "10-year trial period," and considered this one of his "greatest accomplishments to date." Houston and Terry purchased and ran the Big Lake Lodge for several years, living in their beloved lake house and commuting across the ice road in the winter and boating to work in the summer. He returned to work with Chugach Electric and then for Mat-Su School District for several years before finally retiring in 2019.

Houston leaves behind wife, Terry; children, William Houston Snyder II (Rydeen), Kirsten Roos (Rocky), Kiel Schweizer (Lindsay) and Elisa Miller (Shai); grandchildren, Lindsey, Garen, David, Lucas, Eliy, Ella and Aviv; as well as many beloved nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; and three siblings, Chip, Cynthia and Dennis.

Houston enjoyed family, friends, entertaining, cooking, smoking meats, photography, reading, gardening, lake life, travel, fishing, hiking, walking, biking, old cars and "basically anything other than negative people."

Houston's wife and family plan a small gathering this summer to honor Houston's quick wit, adventurous life, love of his family and friends, and deep appreciation for a sunny day.