Bernadette Snyder (nee McCarver)

This obituary is dedicated to a woman who touched many lives, and recognized a few lucky ones in the dedications of her 32 books. Bernadette McCarver Snyder, born in New York, NY on Dec 6 1930, departed May 1, 2024. Always fascinated by celebrations and calendars, she would delight in having her memory associated with May Day. Bernadette's life began with a silver spoon, but her family moved in with her grandparents in Nashville TN during the great depression. She graduated from St. Bernard Academy, and worked in radio and television advertising in Nashville until 1960, when a door closed and another opened in St. Louis MO at Gardner Advertising. She was a Mad Men woman, a member of American Woman in Radio and Television, an active member of The Women's Advertising Club of St. Louis, and a regular cast member of that organization's annual Gridiron comedy show. She married Bill Snyder in 1963, and became a homemaker and mother and freelance copywriter. Her mother had led a Rosary prayer meeting, and when she died in 1975, Bernadette started a new weekly meeting with friends, that would continue for 40 years. She returned to advertising at Catholic publishing house Ligouri in 1978, and would remain associated with the Catholic press the rest of her career. With her sister, she authored her first book, Decorations for 44 Parish Celebrations, in 1982.  She had a regular newspaper column, Mother's Meditation, in Our Sunday Visitor for 15 years. She was proud to be on the program with Jimmy Carter at the 1990 Southern Festival of Books. Her last published work was subtitled Prayer-Chats with God about Aging Joy-Fully.

She is survived by son Matthew Snyder and grandson Will Snyder. Many moons maybe will shine again so we can say hello across the wild.

Visitation at the Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home, 12444 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, Mon., May 6 from 4-7 p.m. Funeral Mass at St. Monica Church, 12136 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, Tues., May 7 at 10 a.m. Interment Bellerive Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Agnes Home, 10341 Manchester Rd., Kirkwood, MO 63122 appreciated.

Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home         www.osfuneralhomes.com