Clarabelle Jane Marie Snyder

Clarabelle (Clara) Jane Marie (Carrier) Snyder, 83 of La Crosse passed away on Monday, January 28, 2013 in her home on French Island surrounded by her loving family as she had requested.

Clara was born to Leslie W. and Beatrice M. (Roster) Carrier on July 6, 1929. Clara was born in Hokah, MN but lived most of her childhood on the river in Brownsville, MN. She graduated from Caledonia High School in 1946 and started working at Lutheran Hospital as a nursing aide. Clara met James H. Snyder, her soul mate and the love of her life for 65 plus years, were married on August 16, 1947. Jim was stationed at Camp (Fort) McCoy after the end of WWII. Jim and Clara moved to their current home on French Island on January 6, 1960 with their four growing children, Margarette, James, Debra and Jeffrey.

Clara went to work at Gundersen-Lutheran Hospital in 1966 when her children were in school full time. Prior to that she was a full time wife and mother, which she felt was her honor and was necessary to raise her children to be the responsible adults that they have become. Clara retired in 1992 from Gundersen-Lutheran after 25 plus years. After her retirement she began her second career as a bus aide for Laidlaw Bus (First Student) on the handicap bus Jim drove. Clara enjoyed her job working with children and riding on the same bus as Jim drove until her final retirement in 2002 after more than 10 years. She and Jim always made sure each child was special by remembering them on their birthdays and Christmas with a little card or present for them.

Besides her family and jobs, Clara enjoyed cross stitching, baking, cooking (she was always trying new recipes out by feeding them to Jim) and camping. She and Jim owned many campers over the years, starting with a little pop up which only contained a bed, to their last camper which was a 42 park model more like a lovely suite than a camper. Jim and Clara took many trips across the United States seeing many of the most famous landmarks. Clara was noted to be an extraordinary housekeeper whose floors one could have eaten off of. She even dusted the rocks on the three season porch of their home. Clara always took great pride in her clean home and her family. Her favorite time of the year was the holidays which she would spend hours and hours cooking and baking all her favorite cookies for her family. She loved the snow and ice skating on the river as a child.

She is survived by her husband Jim of 65 years; her children, Margarette (Marlin) Peterson of La Crosse, Debra J. (Laurence) Shove of Holmen and Jeffrey Snyder of La Crosse; a daughter-in-law, Sally Snyder of Sparta; grandchildren, Hope Virginia Jane (Lawless) Hansen of La Crosse, Laurence Lee and Christopher James Shove both of Holmen, James Leslie Snyder of Baraboo, Audra Jean Snyder of La Crosse, Jason Snyder of La Crosse, Leslie and Jeffery Snyder both of Missouri and Joshua Allen Snyder of Kansas; step-grandchildren; Denise Stowell Kidd of Sparta and Billy Weidling of Sparta; 16 great-grandchildren and 7 step-great-grandchildren; Clara was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Beatrice Carrier; her brother, Willis Carrier; her son, James Snyder; her daughter-in-law, Dawn Marie; a grandson, Steven Wayne Lawless; a great-grandson, Dakota Snyder; her father-in-law, Silas M. Snyder and mother-in-law, Margarette C. (Gaylon) Snyder.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, February 1thstth at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Avenue South, La Crosse with Chaplain Neil Collins officiating. Entombment will follow in the Chapel of Devotion Mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery. Friends and family may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 5-7 PM and again on Friday from 10:00 AM until the time of services.

Mom, you were a truly wonderful lady and mother to us. You taught us many valuable lessons and how to love by your example of love. We love you and will always miss you as will your soul mate and husband, Jim.