Earl Paul Snyder, age 84, died May 22, 2018, in Loveland, Colo.  He was born Sept. 27, 1933, in Rhinelander to Ruby Larson Snyder and Earl P. Snyder, Sr. He attended Rhinelander High School where he played varsity basketball for the Hodags.  Earl continued his education at Superior State College where he played basketball and participated in ROTC.  Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Air Force and began his career in a post-graduate meteorology program at M.I.T. in Boston and then obtained a Master’s Degree in Meteorology from University of Wisconsin.

In June 1955, Earl married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Sweo and they spent 22 years as an Air Force family with assignments in several states, plus Okinawa and South Korea. Earl’s last duty was at the Pentagon where he briefed the Joint Chiefs of Staff on worldwide meteorology.  He retired as a Lt. Colonel and the couple returned to Rhinelander with their three sons.

In Wisconsin, Earl continued work as a math teacher at his high school alma mater, as well as a coach and referee for basketball, football and baseball. He personally enjoyed the outdoors golfing, cross country skiing and making maple syrup.

In 1999, after retiring from teaching, he and Barbara relocated to the milder climate of Loveland, Colorado, where he continued to play golf and became an avid bicyclist enjoying many miles of trails with Barbara.

Surviving Earl are his wife Barbara; three sons, Greg (Jane), Ronald (Terri) and David (Lisa); his grandchildren, Shay, Lucas and Laura; one brother, Duane (Eddy), one sister, Jaye Welch (Gary), and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A memorial is planned at the end of May.