Michael "Doc" Snyder

Michael E. “Doc” Snyder, age 70 of Show Low, Arizona, passed away peacefully at his home on February 24th, 2022. Doc was born on December 22, 1951, born in Balboa Hospital in San Diego and spent his childhood in California. He was the oldest of seven siblings.

He was a noteworthy high school track and football star, but when a knee injury had changed his plans for a football scholarship, he worked in emergency rooms in the LA area until he enlisted in the USAF in 1975.

Doc served in the US Air Force as an Egyptian Arabic linguist stationed at the National Security Agency in Ft. Meade, Maryland. After his honorable discharge from USAF, he traveled across the country to pursue his degree at University of Nevada at Reno. While on his trip across the country, with his first wife Brandee, he made plans to stop in and visit chiropractors along the way to see about the business. A serendipitous meeting with a chiropractor in Sedona led to his decision to continue that as a career and apply to Texas Chiropractic College. Gifted and brilliant, he received many awards at TCC, “Outstanding Intern”, Omega Psi Honor Society and the Dean’s List and then he graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas in 1983. He was a natural healer. After a short stint in Sedona, he opened his first chiro office in St. Johns AZ, in partnership with a DC that he met in acupuncture training. A Springerville office opened up for sale and the decision was made to purchase that office. Eventually a Show Low office was opened, he has been commuting to his offices in his dedication to the community for nearly 40 years. A kind and generous person, Doc was a friend to all, one who listened and frequently made house calls to those in need.

Doc was known to escape onto the open road on multiple Harley Davidsons, with his final bike being a stunning black Road King Police Interceptor. He was a Founding Member of the Cheap Bastards Motorcycle Club and creator of the Run With The Wolf Motorcycle Rally in the White Mountains. Naturally athletic, he especially loved the water and taught the kids water skiing at Lyman Lake State Park every summer and joked about snowboarding one day in the morning and water skiing (with a wet suit) that same afternoon. So many good times.

Doc was a musical genius, he played in numerous bands over the years. Namely, Old Bones Blues Band, Fools Hollow Band, Southern Fire and Relentless. He began playing the flute while in Texas and later taught himself the bass guitar – he could play along to any tune by ear. He would growl out/sing the ZZ Top song “Sharp Dressed Man” like no other! He was a rocker at heart. Through the band, he met his present wife, Cathy, and they enjoyed traveling to vacation in Hawaii, South America and California. She worked in each office and managed the day to day operations.

Doc is survived by his wife, Cathy Westcott (daughter CaLynn Koshinski (Seth), and grandson Maverick); children Skye Snyder and Sea Snyder; three brothers, Jack Snyder (Steph), Phil Minnis (Kim), and Tommy Lamm; three sisters, Pam Snyder, Paula DeLong, and Ali Lamm; mother, Ellen Lamm; and many beloved nieces and nephews. A private Celebration of Life will be held on April 2nd, near Riverside, CA; An additional Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, April 23, 2022 at the Community Presbyterian Church, 41 Supai, Springerville, Arizona.