Kent Snyder October 25, 1938 - February 7, 2022

The most patient, kind, and loving man that we ever knew passed away on February 7th, 2022 in American Fork, Utah at the age of 83. This man honestly had such a pure, giving soul, and spent his entire life serving others. He was his Mother’s caregiver for many years as well as the primary caregiver for his wife Gerrie in her later years.  He was such a strong person, full of life, up until he “just” left his house to go have an echocardiogram on November 8th, 2021, and was sent to the hospital for surgery, only to end up having a stroke and being in heart failure and never fully recovering.  For months, a man who was so independent and active was bedridden until the day he passed away.

Kent was born on October 25th,1938 to Malcome Deloss and Mildred Kirkwood Snyder in Provo, Utah. He was one of seven children. He grew up going back and forth between Huntington Beach California and Utah County, graduating from Provo High School.  After graduating he joined the United States Army and served in Germany following WWII. He had various jobs throughout his career working at Behr Paint Company in California, and managing Chicken Time in Payson, Utah.  He was also a machinist at Valtec, Springville, Utah, and ended his career at Stampin’ Up in Kanab Utah.  Along with his jobs he created his own company called ”R&K Woodworks” with his brother Richard, and later on created a craft company called “Kent & Gerrie’s Stuff” with his wife Gerrie.

Although he had many relationships in his life, he never found his true love until his 50’s when he reconnected with his older sister’s best friend Gerrie (he first met Gerrie when he was in 4th grade and she was in the 8th grade).  After a few short months of courting, he married Gerrie on March 18th, 1995.  He instantly gained three children and became a father and grandfather overnight.  They spent almost 25 of the happiest years of their life together holding hands and laughing all the way. They loved living in Kanab, enjoyed the outdoors riding their four-wheeler, hunting for rocks, relics, and any other treasures, or just spending time with their dogs and watching TV.  As three adult children who gained a father later in life would attest, he superseded all expectations of any of their standards by leaps and bounds.

Kent was so patriotic his entire life and loved this country so much, and his everyday attire showed it. He wore patriotic shirts nearly every day of the week and always wore red on Fridays.  He was very talented in woodworking.  He made lots of different things. He loved working out in his woodshop in his garage for hours.  He made wooden looms that he sold and shipped all over the country.  He also made each family a beautiful, detailed, wooden rocking horse that their kids and grandkids could enjoy for generations to come.

Kent is survived by his 3 step-children, Kathy (Steve) Gomez, Gary Thurgood, Lorrie (Winston) Gillies, 8 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, his sister Patricia Baldwin, brothers, LLoyd (Lucy) Snyder, Michael (Wanda) Snyder and David (Elena) Snyder, sister-in-law Jean Snyder and his fur babies Opie and Tobie.  He is preceded in death by his wife, Gerrie, his parents Malcome and Mildred Snyder, brothers Richard Snyder and Dennis Snyder, sister-in-law Carol Snyder, great granddaughter Alyssa Sage Hendrix, and his fur baby “Cuzzie”.

Graveside services will be held on March 18th, 2022 at the Spanish Fork Cemetery at 11:00 am.  The address is 420 South 400 East, Spanish Fork, Utah, 84660.

The family would like to thank the staff and caregivers at St. George Regional Hospital, Stonehenge of American Fork, Timpanogos Hospital, and Canyon Hospice for the valuable care they provided over the past three months.