HELEN ELAINE THOMAS SNIDER

THOMAS SNIDER Helen Elaine Thomas Snider, 94, of Utopia, TX passed away Friday, February 25, 2022, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Born in Gainesville, TX on September 30, 1927, to Sam C. Thomas and Helen Hammack Thomas, Elaine was the first of four beautiful children, three girls and a boy. She attended primary and secondary schools in McKinney, TX graduating from McKinney High School in 1945. While in high school, Elaine enjoyed business classes preparing herself for post-secondary job opportunities at the VA and then as Secretary to the Dean of Agriculture at Texas A&M University. Elaine married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life upon his return from the European Theater and World War II in 1946, adding one child, a daughter, to their family in 1950. The brightest stars in Elaine’s life were her much loved family. Her daughter presented her twin grandsons and the children they provided to further enrich her life, four baby girls and one baby boy. Her greatest joy was seeing them pull into the driveway in “the Country” for a visit. Life was never sweeter than being surrounded by her precious family. Elaine was a professional Homemaker and she took her profession very seriously, making a lovely home for Joe and daughter, Sandie. Church was always at the center of this family with many of her closest friends being her church friends. She enjoyed teaching Sunday School, Bible School and being in assorted Bible Study groups including Delphians and small studies at church. One of her most significant opportunities for service was sitting on the Sabinal Canyon Museum Board as a Founding Member in 1989, serving on the Board until 2014. Hours of gathering items on loan to the museum, cataloging them and then preparing displays brought Elaine great pleasure. She also was the Volunteer Coordinator recruiting and training the Museum Volunteers for service was her special gift.