Cora Irlma Snyder, in her 94th year, daughter of Hugh and Rosilla Shannon of Drew, Ontario, died peacefully at Cedarcroft Place Retirement Residence, Stratford on September 18, 2018.
She was married to Dr. Robert Andrew (Bob) Snyder who preceded her in death Sept. 2016. Cora’s first husband, W. Calvin (Cal) Thistle, died in July 1986.
In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Susan Fae Knott in April 2014 and three sisters, Marie Cochrane, Doris Rabb, and Hulene Moskal.
Cora is survived by her children and spouses: Rich (Jay) Thistle, Paul Thistle, son-in-law Paul Knott and grandchildren Trudi (Thistle) and husband Dave Barrett, Dr. Shawn Thistle and wife Katie, Amberly (Knott) and partner Kenneth Pridham, and Graham Knott.
She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Drew and Flynn Barrett, Eva Fae Pridham, Calvin (Cal) Thistle, many nieces and nephews as well as step-children from Dr. Snyder: Peter Snyder and wife Dorothy, Ruth and husband Rick Laiken, Marg and husband John Gollinger, Jane and husband Ken Pickell, Jim Snyder and partner Heather Ludlow, Marie Snyder, 13 grandchildren and 3 great-grand children.
Cora trained at Stratford Normal School (Teachers College) during WWII, and, fulfilling her childhood dream, taught for two years at #7 Downie before marrying Cal Thistle in 1945. A person of faith, she was a member of Central United Church, serving on the Board of Elders, as well as a teacher and superintendent of Sunday school and a study group leader, and later became actively involved in the Bethel Pentecostal Church community.
In 1988 she had the honour of being nominated as Stratford Citizen of the Year and was named runner up. Cora was well respected as a nursing home volunteer, and, in 1989, became Regional Director of Ontario Nursing Home Volunteer Association, and in 1991, President of the ONHVA. For many years Cora was a valued member of the #5 Downie Community Club, serving several terms on its executive.
She was quite attached to her sisters, especially her younger sister Hulene, and was involved in organizing and leading family reunions, and exploring her Shannon history and roots. A family-trained pianist, she enjoyed performing, and was often involved in her rural Downie Township community entertainments.
She was also a political ‘junky’, and, as a writer of many letters, spent much of her adult life trying to help national leaders run the country. She was never short of political opinion.
Visitation is at Bethel Pentecostal Church, Stratford, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday September 22, with funeral service to follow at 11:00 a.m., and internment at Avondale Cemetery, followed by a light luncheon at W.G. Young Funeral Home.
Expressions of sympathy in memory of Cora may be made to Bethel Pentecostal Church Mission Fund or a registered charity of choice through W.G. Young Funeral Home.  519.271.7411.  www.youngfuneralhome.com
