| September, 2005 |  |
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| September, 2005 | |
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Clarence Snyder, Steel photographer, dies at 85His work is on display at Easton's National Canal Museum. He was known for work with ham radios and in Kiwanis Club. By Joe McDonald Of The Morning Call Clarence Snyder, a photographer who gained national recognition for pictures of Bethlehem Steel and the skyscrapers and ships it built, died Wednesday. He was 85. An Easton resident for much of his life, Snyder was the photographer for 44 years at Bethlehem Steel. A collection of his photographs is on display at the National Canal Museum at Two Rivers Landing in Easton. ''He was a world-class photographer,'' said Lance Metz, the museum's historian. ''What he shows was more than a local company.'' The museum has more than 1,000 photographs, and they capture what many people may have forgotten — that Bethlehem Steel once was a worldwide colossus, Metz said. Snyder took pictures of ships carrying iron ore, skyscrapers under construction and molten steel being poured. ''He was extraordinarily creative and also very brave,'' Metz said. ''He took a lot of shots from helicopters and hanging off a crane. Things like that most people won't do.'' Snyder's passion wasn't limited to photography. An avid ham radio enthusiast, he was involved with Northampton County's emergency management/civil defense since the early 1950s, said Nick Tylenda, the county emergency management director. ''He was always on the radio,'' Tylenda said. ''He was kind of there all the time.'' The American Red Cross honored him over the years for his contributions to communications during emergencies, most notably the 1955 Hurricane Diane flood. A past president of the Delaware-Lehigh Amateur Radio Club, he helped people get their ham radio licenses and edited the club's newsletter for decades. ''He would give you the shirt off his back,'' said Dick Dech of Bath, treasurer of the radio club. ''He was there in any situation, for family problems, for radio problems. He was just a terrific individual to know.'' More often than not, it was Snyder's voice people heard on the radio when ''a stranger from another state or town came in on [the club's] repeater,'' said Curt Fauerbach, Northampton County's deputy coordinator for emergency management. ''Clarence was always there to help him out and say hello to him.'' He also was well-known through his years with the Kiwanis Club of Easton. ''He was a straight shooter, an honest man and a hard worker in his life,'' said William Walters, the club's secretary. The funeral will be held 1 p.m. today at the synagogue at 1545 Bushkill St., Wilson. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia of Bethlehem Township; his son, Mel Snyder of Lexington, Mass.; daughters Marjorie Ruder of Lancaster and Susan Stevenson of Sudbury, Mass.; and grandchildren. He and his wife recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.Ed. Note: Clarence, W3PYF was very often on the BRATS repeater in the late 70's and throughout the 80's . He always gave us a shout when he was within range. He was often aeromobile and working when we spoke to him,. He was always pleasant, you could even hear the smile in his voice. We will miss him. - W3GXK |
| September, 2005 | |
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