Myra Ann Snider

A long time resident of Gig Harbor, Washington, Myra Ann Snider died very peacefully on Friday, October 1, 2021. She was 93 years young. She is survived by her brothers Gerry and Roger Hegland; daughters Julie Ramige, Lynn Garcia, and Mary DeMun; five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. 

Myra was born September 11, 1928 on the Hegland family farm in Whalan, Minnesota, to Gerhard and Olga Hegland. Many years of her childhood were spent in and out of the Gillette Hospital for Children in Minneapolis, MN to treat a congenital hip condition. Her lifelong relationship with books began at Gillette. During her stays there she spent most of her time bedbound. Reading, writing letters, and polishing her nails were her primary diversions, as they were almost to the end of her life. Times when she was home and wasn’t doing chores, Myra spent hours sitting in the wood bin behind the woodstove in the kitchen reading books.  

She had loads of stories about the “olden days”, growing up on the farm without electricity (they used gas lamps), finally getting electricity (and a big radio!), no indoor plumbing (there was a cozy 2-seater outhouse), and sleigh rides during the winter to get to school (of course she often had to walk 10 miles to school in 5 feet of snow, uphill both ways-ya sure ya betcha!). Oh, the childhood stories that could be told-LOTS that her parents and even her brothers never knew about! 

Despite her physical disability, during her whole life she pushed herself to try activites that she was told she wouldn’t/shouldn’t/couldn’t do: played golf, bowled on a bowling league, hiked the Mount Baker area, and went river rafting. She even tried tennis, swinging a raquet not on the court but in the huge laundry room of our apartment complex.  

After graduating from Peterson High School, Myra left the farm to attend secretarial school in the big city of Minnapolis, MN where she met and married her first husband. Within a few years they packed up the kids and moved to an even bigger city-Seattle, WA where she was employed by Boeing for 35 years, starting out in the stenopool. Over the years she worked in many capacities, and wore many different hats. Her proudest endeaver came about when she was asked to create and organize from scratch, the first technical library for Boeing. Because of her outstanding work, she was asked to help set up other technical libraries for Boeing. 

Myra shook the dirt off her feet and the hay from her hair, enthusiastically adapting to life in the big city. During her professional career at Boeing, her hair, makeup, fingernails, shoes, and dress were always impecable. You could almost say that she  personally kept Nordstrom afloat... except that she never bought anything that wasn’t on sale! 

Her retirement in 1993 allowed her time to travel widely. Norway was one of her favorite places because her parents’ families emigrated to the US from there. She was very proud of her Norwegian heritage and was equally proud to admit she ate and actually LIKED eating Lutefisk! UFF DA! 

She made time to do volunteer work for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in their Tacoma office and at a few times at summer camp; for the Food Bank in Gig Habor; for the American Cancer Society; and for Special Olympics working one on one with some of the athletes. She was also active in the Red Hats Society in Gig Harbor. Her membership at Agnes Dei Lutheran Church in Gig Harbor was very important to her.  She loved the Lord with her whole heart. 

She was a wonderful mom and an amazing woman who not only seized opportunities, but created opportunities for herself, her family, and friends; always there to give support and timely advise. She had a good sense of humor (great one liners!), quick to laugh (an erupting giggle), and a smile that was contagious. She was game for nearly everything and was a hoot almost till the end! She loved holiday meals with all the family, with all the fixin’s. She loved to give hugs and kisses as much as she loved receiving them-all the way until the very end! 

Til den beste kledde og mest elskede kvinnen i himmelen! We love you Mom!!! Jxo Lxo Mxo 

(To the best dressed and most beloved woman in heaven)  

Per Myra’s request, there will be no service. 

In lieu of flowers, family requests donations be made to Alzheimer’s Association or Muscular Dystrophy Association.