Cathleen Marie (Dunlap) Snyder Obituary (1949 - 2024)

Catheen Marie (Dunlap) Snyder was born December 10, 1949, in DeKalb, IL, the second of ten children to Cyrus and Vivian (Walsberg) Dunlap. Growing up, she helped the household by cooking meals and managing her younger siblings alongside her older brother, Michael, while their parents worked to provide. This is when she began to develop her cooking skills, which she later became known for. A Celebration of Life will be held at Bob & Ringo's in Pontiac on Saturday, April 6, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. DID YOU KNOW: Cathy almost joined the convent to become a nun upon graduating high school. Cathy met Roger Schuler, they had two children, Karen (Rob) Chapman and Jeff. Together they scrimped to purchase a small house on Prairie Street. Some of her sisters can tell you stories of the man in the green pants that wandered the hall there. Eventually they settled in the country to work on a major fixer upper. DID YOU KNOW: There was a big setback on the work to the property due to Jeff and his aunt playing with matches and setting the barn on fire. When Cathy and Roger decided it was best to part ways, she bought a small house on South Street. It was around this time she secured a solid full-time job and met the “Roof girls”. DID YOU KNOW: A major flood of the Vermillion River caused many of Cathy’s treasures to be destroyed. It is thought that this began her love affair with the collection of many things. Eventually, she moved to another house down the road on South Street, a former rectory, where she relished in customizing the house by stripping woodwork, wallpapering, and making this house a home. It was here that her craftiness and flair for the creative began to shine. In 1983, she built and operated Shamrock Liquors. Being the extroverted, social person that she was, she loved getting to know the locals and developed many close friendships during this time. Tragically, her son Jeff passed away in a car accident while away at college in 1990. It was at Shamrock that she was informed of this horrific news. This would prompt her volunteer service at OSF Hospice Care, providing comfort to those in need, which she continued throughout the rest of her life. DID YOU KNOW: Cathy obtained her nursing degree in 2007. She received top marks in her classes and worked in various capacities during her time in the Livingston County area. After selling Shamrock in 1999, she spent some time in the country, just outside of Pontiac. She loved the peaceful tranquility of tending to her garden, feeding stray animals, and hosting friends for dinner get-togethers in the alleyway followed by a bonfire. Cathy was passionate about volunteering with the Jr. Women's Club, St. Marys’ Church Adoration, Rustic Auto Club, Walldogs, the Medical Reserve Corps, Peoria Irish Fest, and more recently, the Frank Lloyd Wright-Chicago Tours. After much persuasion from her daughter, she decided it was time to move up north. She was able to enjoy time with her grandkids, Madie and Ben, and attend their many activities. She was also able to have “Friday Fun Day” with her daughter where they would hit up local haunts (as she called them) to collect treasures for her new home and gifts for the many wonderful friends in her life. Those who really knew Cathy saw that she was a strong, vibrant woman, never one to shy away from speaking truth, even when you didn’t want it. She was the one you called to go on a crazy adventure. She was the one you called when you were hurting. She was the one who stepped into your “messy” to help you out, even when you didn’t ask. The Lord blessed her with a peaceful passing in her sleep on January 7, 2024. The world lost a beautiful, rare gem that day and I’m grateful and privileged to have called her mom. There will be a Celebration of Life planned in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Home of the Sparrow (https://www.hosparrow.org/) in her honor.