Paul H. Snider of Elk Grove, 92, passed away Monday, August 19, 2019 at his home in Elk Grove following several years of declining health.
Born and raised in Turlock, the son of Mary and Earl Snider, Paul made his home in Sacramento for more than 54 years.
He leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Renee Snider; his daughter, Shelby Snider, his son, Blake Snider, numerous relatives, and countless friends who hail from all over the world. Paul was preceded in death by his son, Marcus Snider, his sister Eileen Montgomery, and brothers, Thornton and Bernell Snider.
Paul began his youthful entrepreneurial ventures as a bee keeper harvesting and selling honey to various retailers, including Tom Raley. After graduating from Modesto Junior College, Paul joined the U.S. Maritime Service serving in Okinawa. Although he was honorably discharged in 1953, his service to the country he loved continued with stints and honorable discharges from both the Navy and the Army.
After serving in the military, Paul joined his uncle’s Buick dealership in Turlock, quickly becoming the top salesman. And the rest is history.
It is no secret that Paul made his fortune selling automobiles. In 1955, he bought his first Chevrolet dealership in Patterson, California and in 1965, Paul opened a Volkswagen dealership on Madison Avenue in Sacramento. At its peak, Snider Enterprises included seven dealerships and over twenty franchises throughout California and Nevada. His expertise and national reputation consistently resulted in recognition as a top Toyota Motor Sales dealer. In 2011, Toyota awarded Paul a Forty-Year sales award for outstanding sales and service in the U.S.
Paul not only took pride in his business success, but he truly relished the lifelong friends he made along the way. Paul’s passion for fishing, hunting and wildlife conservation led him and his wife, Renee, to remote locations throughout the world. Their shared passion became a lifelong pursuit that brought them both international fame and friends. For more than twenty-five years, Paul and Renee hosted over three thousand visitors annually - of all ages - to promote conservation education and funding through tours of their world-class wildlife museum at their Elk Grove estate.
Paul is a Life Member of Safari Club International, and a member of the Sacramento Safari Club, Shikar Safari Club, Ducks Unlimited, California Waterfowl, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and other conservation organizations too numerous to list.
In addition to the millions of dollars donated to international wildlife conservation, the Sniders also raised millions of dollars for River Oak Center for Children – their primary charity for decades. Their contributions created group homes, new facilities for educational, healthcare, and treatment for children needing behavioral and mental health services.
Their exceptional generosity also included years of support for the Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento, Child Advocates of Placer County, Shriner’s Hospital, the University of California Medical Center, The Salvation Army, Sutter Health, Dignity Health, the California Automobile Association, Sacramento State’s Museum of Natural History, the Sacramento Zoological Society, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary, Pride Industries, Girl Scouts Central California, Great Valley Center, Volunteers of America, and countless other charities.
Paul was a longtime member of Shriners International, the Point West Rotary, and Northridge Country Club. He founded and served on the board of directors of the Help-A-Child Foundation and the Lincoln Club of Sacramento. He consistently lived his life according to his conservative values and his love for his country, which led to his generous support for countless Republican candidates for local, state, and national public service.
How do you measure the life of a man? For Paul Snider, a life well spent meant living with an unrelenting commitment to hard work, family, country, and service to others.
A local celebration of his life is scheduled for Tuesday, September 17th at 10:30am at the Sutter Club. A reception will follow the service. Private services will be held in Turlock. Memorial gifts may be sent to Ben Ali Shriners, 3262 Marysville Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95815.
