IN MEMORIAM: Judith (Urso) Snyder ’92
The Rev. Judith (Urso) Snyder, Class of 1992, of Mountoursville, PA died Saturday, April 1, 2023 at Valley View Nursing Center, aged 74. She is the wife of the late Dr. James P. Snyder II, to whom she was married for 40 years.
Born in Reading on August 25, 1948, Snyder was the daughter of the late Frank & Martha (Walters) Urso. She was a Minister and member of the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. From 2005-2011, Snyder was a Priest Associate for Spiritual Formation at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania.
During the 1980’s, after teaching secondary school for a number of years, she described herself as looking for a new direction and prayed to God for guidance. As a result, she enrolled as a full-time student at General. She was ordained to the diaconate on March 8, 1992 and then assigned to serve as a Diocesan Intern for two years at St. Anne’s. After she had served in several ministries, Snyder was invited in September 2004 to work at St. Anne’s one-quarter time, focusing on spiritual growth and renewal. This led to her being called in 2005 to serve as Priest Associate with full responsibility for spearheading programs in Spiritual Formation for children and adults at St. Anne’s. Under her watch, the Sunday School, the Vacation Church School, and youth programs grew in both numbers and spirit. She retired in 2014 after 22 years of ministry.
Survivors: Her daughter Meredith Snyder Dessoye and her fiancé, Todd Goodman, of Painted Post, NY; beloved grandchildren, Zoë Taylor, Harlee Anne and Eric James; sister Maryann Pawlewicz of Reading, PA, brothers Jim Urso and his wife, Regina, of Sinking Springs, PA, Jeff Urso and his wife Kathy, of Landsdale, PA, Frank Urso and his wife, Patty, of Collegeville, PA, and Christopher Urso and his wife, Colette, of Manchester, NJ.
Services: A memorial service will be held at on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 11:00 AM. The service will be held at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, 321 Wyandotte St, Bethlehem, PA 18015, with The Rev. Maryann Philbrook Sturges officiating. Judith’s family will receive guests following the service at a reception to be held in the parish hall.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Scleroderma Foundation.
To share an expression of sympathy with this family, please visit www.heintzelmancares.com. Arrangements are by the Heintzelman Funeral Home, Inc. – Hellertown.
From an obituary supplied by the family.