Robert Hale 'Bob' Snyder

Graveside services for Dolores resident Robert Hale ‘Bob’ Snyder will be held at the Rico Cemetery a later date.
Robert passed away peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 26, 2020 in Cortez, Colorado. Born August 5, 1925 to Robert Alanca Snyder and Grace Lucille Hale in Duchesne Utah. A brother Dale joined the family two years later. When his father remarried two sisters were added, Ila and Ruby.
Robert spent most of his childhood around the Duchesne and Myton Utah areas. Some of his summers were spent on the family property near Rico, Colorado. As Robert started his senior year at Duchesne High School, he was drafted into the service because of World War II. He chose to go into the Navy and trained in the medical field. During World War II he worked in the field hospitals that were set up on the islands. Over a year during that time was spent on Tinian Island. After two and a half years in the Navy he was honorably discharged in April of 1946. He returned home to Duchesne. He was awarded his High School Diploma along with his brother Dale, and the graduating class of 1946.
Robert would officially meet his future wife Mary White, a few months later, even though she had sung at the graduation he was part of earlier. After dating for a while, they were married on July 13, 1947 in Duchesne, Utah. Later on, they were sealed as a family in the Mesa Arizona Temple in June 1963. While living in Duchesne, two sons were born in Roosevelt, Utah, Ron and Ray. After moving to Rico, Colorado in late 1950, Robert started working for the Rico Argentine Mining Co. Two daughters joined the family while in Rico, Kathryn and Ann. Among the shifts at the mine, Robert also volunteered as a fire fighter for the town. As time went on, the mine superintendent asked Robert and another miner to drill some test holes looking for minerals or ore that could be mined. They drilled some test holes near where the Dolores River ran above town. About 200 feet down they hit some underground hot springs that continue to come to the surface today.
After 21 years in Rico, the Rico Argentine shut down. Robert started job hunting in the four corners and eventually ended up in Silverton, Colorado working for Standard Metals Corp. He worked as a hoist man for 13 years before Standard Metals shut down. Robert then went back to the family property to help his dad with the ranching. After his father passed away, he kept the ranch going with beef cows and milk cows.
Robert stayed very active during his life. He would walk different places on the property to check on the cattle. While there he liked to take a pan of dirt where ever he was, then pan it in the river, or the creek or a pond, before returning home. He also loved to work with numbers. He really loved to take the time to write things down; family histories and stories especially. He was given a diary for a gift in 1962. He kept a daily diary or journal since 1962 until his eyesight stopped him from writing, which was over 55 years. His family was so important to him, that he wrote a weekly letter to each child that was away from home until his eye sight stopped that too.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Dale; his son-in-law Bill White; his grandson Richard Braun; and his loving wife of 71 years Mary. He is survived by his sons, Ron (Sherry)Snyder, and Ray (Sharon) Snyder; his daughters, Kathryn White and Ann (Clair) Larsen; his two sisters, Ila (Jim) Starks and Ruby (Cliff) Mehrer; 22 living grandchildren and 77 great grandchildren; plus numerous nieces and nephews.
Give our love to mother, and thank you for the legacy that you left your family.