Raymond Snyder, 91, an innovative Western Springs entrepreneur who rode some of the earliest commercial airplanes and capitalized on the growth of Chicago’s aviation industry, died Saturday, June, 3, at La Grange Memorial Hospital, after suffering a stroke. Born in Ohio and raised on a small farm near Butler, Ind., Mr. Snyder was a self-taught mechanic, said his oldest son, Randy Snyder. Mr. Snyder graduated from Butler High School in 1920 and was trained to repair the Ford “Tin Goose” Tri-Motor Airplane during a time when Ford offered its customers an in-flight mechanic for its planes. Most of his work was done in cornfields and prairies where the flight crew would land the plane after noticing some sort of trouble. His days rebuilding engines and taking daily care of the company’s aircraft eventually led him to start his own business. Working off a $500 bank loan, Mr. Snyder sold rebuilt airplane instruments that were normally thrown away. The result was Snyder Aircraft Corp., a firm that eventually distributed aircraft parts throughout the Midwest. Relatives said his instincts moved him to sell the company in 1951 and move into the diesel engine business. “He somehow saw the need for diesel engines at a time when others didn’t,” Randy Snyder said. In 1952, he purchased the rights to sell Cummins Diesel Engines and provide service in parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, a venture that his sons, Randy and Dennis, joined in 1954 and 1968, respectively. Mr. Snyder also was an expert yachtsman who navigated waters off Florida and the Bahamas. In addition to his two sons, survivors include five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday in First Congressional Church of Western Springs, 1106 Chestnut St.
