Mary Jane (Snyder) Snyder

Mary Jane Snyder

YORK – Mary Jane Snyder, 83, of York, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, September 10, 2022, surrounded by her family.

Mary Jane was born July 28, 1939, in York and was the daughter of the late Stewart F. Snyder and Elsie M. (Werner) Snyder.

Mary Jane was an icon in York County when it came to sports. She attended Central York Senior High School, where she played basketball and volleyball. After graduating in 1957, she attended West Chester University, where she added track and field to her repertoire, picking up throwing the javelin. She participated in the U.S. Nationals in the javelin in 1958 and 1959, finishing third and fifth, respectively. Mary Jane loved the Olympics, having attended many during her lifetime, and served as an alternate for the 1959 Pan American Games.

Returning to York after she graduated from West Chester with her B.S. in Health and Physical Education, she became a teacher in the Spring Grove School District. Mary Jane coached field hockey, basketball, cheerleading and track, but volleyball is where she made her mark. She led her teams to many championships, including six York County and four District-3 Class AAA Championships. In 1983, her team advanced to a second-place finish in the PIAA State Tournament. Mary Jane was recognized four times as the York Dispatch Coaches Volleyball Coach of the Year.

Mary Jane served as a teacher, coach and assistant Athletic Director until her retirement from Spring Grove and then moved to an Athletic Director role at Penn State – York campus for another ten years. She has been inducted into several notable hall of fame organizations; the Spring Grove Athletic Hall of Fame, the York Area Sports Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Associate Hall of Fame. Mary Jane will forever be remembered as the “founding mother” of girls’ volleyball in York County and is credited more than any single person with bringing the sport to its current high level of play.

Mary Jane is survived by her sister, Nancy Ann Snyder Kinard and her husband G. Daniel of York; and 18 nieces and nephews.   She was preceded in death by her sister, Lois Pergament and her brothers, Franklin Snyder, Nelson, Snyder, Gordon Snyder, Murray Snyder, Gene Snyder and Richard Snyder.

A celebration of life service will begin at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at Mount Zion United Church of Christ, 1054 Ridgewood Road, York, PA.  Visitation will be from 8:00 to 11:00 AM, Tuesday at the church.  Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery.  Officiating will be her pastor, Reverend Danielle Neff.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Diehl Funeral Home & Cremation Center of Mount Wolf.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to, Hospice and Community Care, 685 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA. 17604 or to the Spring Grove Educational Fund in Memory of Mary Jane Snyder at Spring Grove High School, 100 East College Avenue, Spring Grove, PA 17362.

The family would like to thank her high school friends, former students, church family and former teacher friends for spending many hours helping with her care.  Also, a special thank you to Pastor Dani for her phone calls and visits and to her Hospice nurses whom she dearly loved.

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