Early Years and Education: * Born in Elkton, VA in 1923 * In high school-Wally served as Conference President of the Pilgrim Fellowship * Received an A.B. degree in Religion from Elon College in 1945 * While at Elon he was a part of the following clubs/organizations: Student Christian Association (SCA) (all 4 years), President of SCA (senior), Ministerial Association (all 4 years), Vice President of Ministerial Association (junior), Band (freshman), Dr. Johnson's Literary Society (sophomore-senior), Secretary of Literary society (senior), Maroon and Gold staff (junior), May Day escort (junior), Art club (senior), and a member of .

Career in the Chruch: * Ordained on November 26, 1943 at the Bethel Congregational Christian Church near Elkton, VA * December 1944, Wally worked full time on his charge at the Mt. Zion, Bethel, and Concord churches in Virginia. He left these churches in March of 1952 * March 1, 1952-July 27, 1958-served as minister for the Beverly Hills Community Church in Burlington, NC * September 1958-July 1960-served as minister for the Rosemont Congregational Christian Church in South Norfolk, VA * Served as President of the North Carolina and Virginia Conference of the Southern Convention of Congregational Christian Churches * Served as Secretary of the Eastern Virginia Conference

Career at the Elon Home for Children: * August 1, 1960-Wally's first day as the Superintendent at the Elon Home for Children * He facilitated the establishment of the following programs at the Home: group care, foster care, group home care, advanced care, community and family services, day care for preschool children with working parents, after school care for children K-3, and he added a social services department (previously, the Home only offered group care) * During his tenure, 5 cottages were added-each housed 12-14 children * In 1974, an activities building was added that had a gym, activity rooms for sewing, arts and crafts, a teenage room and lobby * Also in 1974, the Turner Group Home opened in Suffolk, VA to serve children in VA * In 1975, the John G. Truitt Administration Building opened-it housed social services and mail appeal office staff * In 1975-Johnston Hall was renovated to house the preschool day care program downstairs and the "learning center" upstairs. Also housed upstairs were living facilities for house parents and the family and community service department * Snyder retired from Elon Home for Children in 1990, as the Chief Executive Officer

Memberships and Extracurricular Activities (not in chronological order): * Past member of the Executive Board of the Southern Convention of Congregational Christian Churches * Member of the Board of Publications of the Southern Convention * 1956-1960-served on the Board of Trustees of the Congregational Christian Home (Elon Home for Children) * Member of the Council on Health and Welfare of the United Church of Christ, and a member of the group's Executive Committee, served as President * Board of Directors of the Child Care Project (sponsored by the school of social work at UNC Chapel Hill) * Past President of Western Alamance High School PTA * Past President of Elon Elementary School PTA * Program chairman for the Alamance County Community Council * Board of Directors of the United Fund * Member of Rotary International * Pi Gamma Mu (honor society for the social sciences) * 1966-elected to be President of the Council for Health and Welfare services of the United Church of Christ * 1982-President of the North Carolina Juvenile Services Association * 1983-resigned from the Alamance County school board * Member of Elon Community Church * 2004-participated at the Elon Community Church in the Stephen ministry-which helped him learn how to minister others * Member of the Elon Athletics Foundation and the Elon Society at Elon University * Past President of the Southeastern Association of Child Caring Institutions and the North Carolina Child Care Association * 1st Vice President of the Burlington Ministerial Association * Member of the Burlington Jaycees * Member of the Burlington City Recreation Commission * Chaplain for Burlington-Graham Civitan Club in 1958 * Member of the Community Council * PTA work at Fisher Street School * 1951-elected to be President of the North Carolina-Virginia Conference of Congregational Christian Churches * 1963-1966-served as a representative to the Executive Committee for all child caring institutions of the United Church of Christ * Member of the liaison committee between the North Carolina Child Care Association and the North Carolina Department of Human Resources * Member of the National Association of Homes for Children and North Carolina Juvenile Correctional Association * Served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Juvenile Correctional Association * Member of the advisory committee of Elon College elementary and middle schools * Charter member of the Western High School Booster Club * Member of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International * Member of the Bula Masonic lodge #409 in Burlington, NC * Served on the National Alumni Executive Board and the Elon Society Executive Committee at Elon University * Class of 1945 reunion giving chairman at Elon University * Member of Order of the Oak at Elon University

Awards and Honors: * Doctor of Divinity Honorary Degree from Elon College on May 25, 1964 * Distinguished Alumnus Award from Elon College on May 2, 1981 * In 2003, Wally Snyder established the Walstein W. and Nell M. Snyder Endowed Scholarship fund at Elon in memory of his wife, and for students to have the opportunity to attend Elon * On May 4, 2006, the Snyder room in Johnston Hall was named and dedicated to Wally Snyder

Family: * Wally's father, L.W. Snyder of Elkton, VA, passed away June 16, 1969 in VA * Wally married Nellie Gray Mann of Burlington, NC on May 28, 1944 at the 1st Presbyterian Church in Burlington * Nell G. Mann's parents were Mr. and Mrs. Coy McKinley Mann of Burlington, NC * Wally and Nell had three children: Coy Wesley, Elia Ann, and Rita Dale * Coy Wesley was born on December 8, 1947 at Dr. McLamm's clinic in Mebane, NC * Elia Ann was born July 27, 1952 at the Alamance County Hospital * Rita Dale was born July 9, 1953 at the Alamance County Hospital * Coy Wesley Snyder married Miss Rebecca Sue Love on April 30, 1972 in the 1st Baptist Church in Graham, NC * Rebecca Sue Love's parents were Mr. and Mrs. Edward Scott Love of Graham, NC * Elia Ann Snyder married Larry Hardin Moser on February 14, 1976 at the Elon Community Church * Larry Hardin Moser's parents were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Byrd of Burlington, NC * Coy Wesley and Rebecca Sue had a daughter, Lori Ann Snyder, on April 15, 1973 * Wally and Nell have eight grandchildren: Lori Ann, Ryan, Neil, Emily, Julie, Morgan, Andrew, and Evan * Nell Snyder passed away from a rare form of leukemia on April 15, 2002

Biographical Sources: Please consult with the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian for information relating to the biography of Wally Snyder.