Julia Carolyn Thackston Snyder, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and teacher, passed away on February 4, 2025, at the age of 87, after a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia. Carolyn was born on June 19, 1937, in Anniston, Alabama. Raised in a military family, Carolyn spent her childhood living in diverse locations, including the Philippines and Honolulu. She was the daughter of the late Colonel A.J. Thackston, Jr. and Julia Dukes Thackston of Orangeburg, South Carolina.
Carolyn graduated from the College of William & Mary in 1959, and immediately after, she moved to New York City, a decision that surprised her parents, who expected her to return home to South Carolina within the month. But Carolyn fell in love with the city, and soon after with her husband, Donald Snyder, whom she met on a blind date. Carolyn and Don, a fellow William and Mary graduate married on August 19, 1961. Together, they shared a love of word games, books, and theater. They raised their two daughters, Amy and Sara, in Charlotte, North Carolina and Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
A passionate teacher, activist, and feminist, Carolyn earned her teaching degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte while balancing the responsibilities of being a working mother in the early 1970s. She later earned a Masters in Special Education from Trenton State College in New Jersey. Her work as an educator and advocate for social justice led her to teach Head Start in New Jersey, for 6 years, followed by a 14-year career teaching learning-disabled preschoolers at Joseph Capello School in the New Jersey state school system. She was also a representative of the teachers’ union and once led a strike—remarkably explaining to her four-year-old granddaughter, “Mimi might have to go to jail tonight, but don’t worry.”
Carolyn and Don retired to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Carolyn was also an outspoken civil rights activist throughout her adult life. She provided food for the Poor People’s March in Washington, D.C. in 1968, and her commitment to social justice remained a cornerstone of her life. She continued to advocate for those in need well into her late 70s, teaching immigrants English as a Second Language during her retirement years in Hilton Head. In 2017, Carolyn and Don moved to Hingham, Massachusetts, to be closer to their family.
Carolyn is survived by her devoted husband of over 63 years, Donald Snyder of Hingham, MA; her daughter, Amy Snyder Weed of Brookline, MA; her grandchildren, Catherine Savage, Maura Weed, and Selene Yo; her sisters, Nancy Nettles and Dorothy Lambright; and many nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Sara Katz, and by her sister, Susan Clark. A celebration of Carolyn’s life will be held on May 2, 2025, at 11:00 am, at the Church of the Redeemer in Chestnut Hill, MA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Epiphany School or Rosie’s Place in honor of Carolyn’s lifelong commitment to social justice and the well- being of women and children.
Carolyn will be remembered for her fierce advocacy, her boundless love for her family, and her consistent dedication to education and equality. Her legacy will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing her.
