James Douglas Watkins Snyder

James Douglas Watkins Snyder. That's dad. I don't know many people with 4 names. Yes, he was one of the good ones. As the tributes come pouring in the phrases include that Jim was larger than life. That he was my real life cowboy. Amazing father and friend that taught me so much. What a guy, so strong to the end. One of the great ones. He taught me how to be a horse girl. Such a presence with a big smile and a booming laugh. He will be free to run his races and be with the love of his life, mom. In fact, when I was alone with dad last Friday in his hospital room, he made sure that the doctors and nurses knew that he did not have one enemy in this whole world. JD or Jimmy, that's what grandma Z called him. Kurt was his brother. Grandpa George and Grandma Zelda were his mom and dad. They all passed before dad. And mom (Vicki Snyder) passed just three years prior. Dad was born and raised in Albany and spent the majority of his life here on this horse farm. He and his brother Kurt would take the horses to the rodeo and ride the horses out here in the Palestine community. One of dad's first horses was Copper, and Copper actually became my first horse. He lived into his 30s. Jim went to primary school down at Fir Grove when it was just a one room schoolhouse. He maintained those childhood friendships for his entire life. Jim met the love of his life Vicki Bayne when they were 15 years old as she walked by FL Snyder & Son on her way home from school. Jim graduated from Albany Union high school in 1962, along with mom. We are all a family of bulldogs. They married on a leap year, in The United Presbyterian Church of Albany on February 29th, 1964. James Andrew was born in 1966, Leah Christine in 1971. They built their home together right next to the Palestine cemetery. They built this horse farm together and their legacy continues to thrive. They raised their kids with strength, character, and an independent spirit. Dad was extremely proud of the legacy of his grandfather Frank and father George, the original FL Snyder and Son, which is in operation to this day on 2nd street in Albany. It was a blacksmith shop. And then as times changed, grandpa George turned it into an automotive shop. Jim started working at the shop when he was 19 years old. He and his lifelong friend and partner Frank (Hank) Sanders bought the shop from Grandpa George in 1966, and carried on the tradition of welding, brakes, and front end alignment. Bear Alignment was the famous sign. When they remodeled the shop, they dug up old horseshoes and an old anvil that Great Grandpa Frank had used on the work horses. The anvil from 1911 is still here. Dad retired in 2000. Jim also farmed this Palestine community with Vicki and their partner Bob Newton. Their work ethic and love of family continues to live on in all of us. Jim worked hard along with Mom, but they played hard too. Camping, fishing, hunting, water skiing, horse camping, river rafting, race horses, show horses, music and dancing, so many memories with family and friends. Some of our very best family times were at Green Peter. Fortunately we were able to get dad back to Snyder Bay one last time last year, with an epic photo right along the edge of the bay. Dad was a gambling man. He bet on fast horses and loved fast cars. In dad's retirement years, he spent time fishing in Alaska and the Oregon coast, horse racing in California and Arizona. Right after dad came back from one of his Alaska trips, he became very ill with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. It was a long and difficult journey just to get the diagnosis and be accepted on the transplant list before his 70th birthday. Like I said, dad was a gambling man. On October 10th, 2014 we received a phone call from the transplant team in Seattle, Washington that they had a donor lung for him. We raced there in the middle of the night. He says that October 11th, 2014 was his second birthday. It was a long, hard fight, but he battled through and recovered, even with a second thoracic surgery. He beat the odds. The doctors told him that he would not survive through Christmas. He beat the odds and turned 71 in March of 2015, then took an epic road trip to Texas that May. So what a beautiful new Birthday, blessed Christmas, and gift of all the years we've had together since October 11th, 2014. Through his illness, surgeries, and recovery, Dad never complained once. He was grateful to have a second chance at life, to have more life, and in true Jim fashion, to live life to its fullest. He continued to fish and train horses and work on old cars and spend precious time with friends and family. Dad was even working in the shop in the summer of 2022. He worked slow and steady and enjoyed every minute of it, even though he struggled at times. One of his last favorite projects was to put together a 1984 Chevy pick up for Madison. He never sat idle in body or spirit, not until the end. This past year has been a difficult one, but he has been surrounded by friends and family to the very end. His heroes are his kids and grandkids. As we gathered around his hospital bed, listening to Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Elvis and Ray Charles, he blinked and smiled that Jim smile, reveling in the love of family. Jim is survived by son Jim (Patti), Leah (David), grandchildren Lydia, Mason, Luke, and Madison. Sister in law and brother in law Carroll and Rick Stubbs. Also his partner Hank Sanders. Countless Cousins, nieces, nephews and too many friends to count. We love you Dad. Your final resting place will be right here in Palestine Cemetery, next to Mom, still surrounded by your entire family. A celebration of life for Jim will be held at Deluxe brewery in downtown Albany on Saturday, November 4th at 1 PM. Dad wanted a party. In lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite charity.