Esther Snyder, co-founder and president of In-N-Out Burger, passed away on August 4, 2006. All of us at In-N-Out will mourn the loss of Mrs. Snyder, who provided strength and inspiration for the company and its associates. Mrs. Snyder is survived by her granddaughter Lynsi Martinez, step granddaughters Traci Taylor and Teri Prince, her brother and sisters as well as several nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Mark Taylor, Vice President of Operations for In-N-Out, has stated, "Mrs. Snyder showed us all how to be a great leader and businessperson. She expected hard work from associates and in return she believed in rewarding them well and treating them as members of one family. She truly cared for everybody at this company. She also firmly believed that the company had to be a good citizen of its community."
Mrs. Snyder was born Esther Lavelle Johnson in 1920. One of eight children, seven girls and a boy, she grew up in Sorrento, IL. She attended Greenville College in Illinois and, later, Seattle Pacific University, from which she graduated in 1947 with a degree in zoology.
Mrs. Snyder proudly served her country as a Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) from 1942 to 1945, her duties including service as a Surgical Nurse. Her rank when she left the military was Pharmacist First Class.
She met her husband-to-be, Harry Snyder, while she was working as the day manager for the restaurant at Fort Lawton in Seattle in 1947. Harry was in the catering business and sold baked goods to the restaurant. They were married in 1948 and moved to Baldwin Park where in that same year they started In-N-Out Burgers.
From the beginning, In-N-Out Burger was what it remains today, a family affair. Esther would often walk from their house late in the evening to help Harry close and clean up the store. She also took a hand in the cooking, slicing the tomatoes and onions, peeling the potatoes and forming meat patties by hand. As the company grew, so did Esther's responsibilities. Soon she was keeping the books and handling the paperwork for each of the stores.
The Snyders were blessed with two sons, Guy, born in 1951, and Rich, who followed in 1952. As she raised her two boys, Esther's love for children shined through. She was always available to help out at the little league field, to serve as den mother for the boys in Cub Scouts, to be the room mother at the grammar school. But her heart proved larger still; it and the Snyders' home were always open for other children who needed special attention or simply a delicious meal.
Esther and the Snyder family endured several personal tragedies. After Harry Snyder passed away in 1976, Rich assumed leadership of In-N-Out Burgers with Guy serving as Vice President. When Rich Snyder was killed in a plane crash in 1993, Guy Snyder became Chairman. Together, he and Esther Snyder led the company until Guy's death in 1999, after which Esther continued as President. Throughout these tragedies, Esther was always a beacon of strength for her family and for the entire In-N-Out family. She often cited her deep and strong Christian faith as the source of her strength.
Prior to becoming President of In-N-Out Burgers, Mrs. Snyder held several titles, serving as Vice President and Treasurer as well as Secretary. During the 1980s and 1990s her roles included overseeing all of the accounting functions as well as staying closely involved in all strategic planning and growth decisions. It was during this time that the company, which now has 202 restaurants, began its growth into Northern California, Nevada and Arizona. As she provided leadership and direction for the company, Mrs. Snyder also believed that one of her primary roles was to keep the company focused on caring for all associates as part of a family, the In-N-Out family.
In 1984, Mrs. Snyder and her son Rich founded the Child Abuse Foundation, which eventually grew into the In-N-Out Burger Foundation focusing on providing help for children in need. Under Mrs. Snyder's leadership, In-N-Out Burger has consistently paid 100% of the administrative costs of the Foundation so that every cent raised can go directly to centers that provide help to abused children. The Foundation has raised and distributed millions of dollars over the last several years.
In addition to the In-N-Out Burger Foundation, Mrs. Snyder's spirit of giving and caring heart were evident in many areas from community support to farther reaching philanthropic efforts. She was a generous supporter of local schools, boys & girls clubs, medical organizations, police and fire departments, as well as numerous missions and homeless shelters throughout California. She has been recognized over the years by different organizations for her life's work and benevolent efforts. These include the prestigious "Woman of the World" award from Childhelp USA, the YWCA Women of Achievement Award, as well as the Lone Sailor Award from the United States Navy Memorial Foundation in Washington D.C. The City of Baldwin Park also acknowledged her ongoing efforts in naming a local community center after her.
The Snyder family and the entire In-N-Out family is mourning the loss of Mrs. Snyder. She will be fondly remembered for her huge heart, generous spirit, and powerful faith, and will always remain an inspiration to all who knew her.
Mark Taylor will succeed Mrs. Snyder as President of In-N-Out Burger.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the In-N-Out Burger Foundation at 13502 Hamburger Lane, Baldwin Park, California 91706, East Valley Boys and Girls Club located at 4100 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park, California 91706, and the Citrus Valley Health Foundation In Support of Citrus Valley Hospice located at 1115 S. Sunset Ave., West Covina, California 91790.