Sirimas Sirisuth Snyder

Sirimas Sirisuth Snyder, age 75 years of Niles, Michigan; wife, mother, grandmother, physician, devout Buddhist, and competitive tennis player died peacefully Wednesday morning, October 25, 2023 at her home following a brief illness.

She was born on July 24, 1948 in Bangkok, Thailand to a family with lineage back three generations to a King of Siam.  Her family also includes the author of the first Thai to English translation book.  She completed public school in Bangkok, graduating 2^nd in a class of 4,000.  She continued her education at Bangkok University before emigrating from Thailand to the United States to continue her undergraduate studies in Massachusetts.  She earned her Medical Doctorate in Rheumatology from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, Kansas.

Dr. Sirisuth came to Niles in 1979, and joined the Medical Center practice of Drs. Noel Hershey, Robert Landgraf, and John Strayer.  She was an Internist and Rheumatologist, serving many patients from the clinic on Grant Street across from the hospital.  She was a longtime member of the American Medical Association.

She was a devout Buddhist, worshiping at temples in Chicago, and returning to the temples of Thailand, especially the Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, often referred to as the “Wat Arun” or “Temple of Dawn”.  She was also an enthusiastic tennis player, playing at both the Niles and South Bend Racquet Clubs, and at the Plym Park tennis courts which she helped to renovate several years ago.  She was a member of the Niles-Buchanan YMCA.

At home, Siri enjoyed gardening both vegetables and roses, and reading biographies and mysteries.

The Medical Clinic on Grant Street included a pharmacy, owned and operated by James A. Snyder, Pharm.D., with whom Siri began to share lunch in the break room.  Eventually a date was arranged, which ended with the conclusion that they would soon be married.  On October 14, 1980 in the Centre Meeting House on the Morris Farm, Siri was married to Jim, with whom she celebrated just ten days ago the forty-third anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes her husband, Jim Snyder and their children, Ashley James “Ash” (& Molly) Snyder of Holland, Michigan and Lori Alynn  Snyder (& Collin Craig) of Oak Park, Illinois; grandchildren Clyde, Nate, and Sophie; Siri’s brother, S. Sirisuth of Bangkok; and longtime friend, Yupadi and her husband, John.

The family of Siri Sirisuth Snyder will gather privately to share memories and honor her life.  Contributions in memory of Dr. Sirisuth may be made to the Niles-Buchanan YMCA, 905 North Front Street, Niles, Michigan, 49120, https://www.ymcagm.org/locations/niles-buchanan-ymca.  Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles.  Online memories may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Siri clearly enjoyed life, using the doctrines and disciplines of Buddhism to lead a peaceful life, free of extremes or attachments, using her professional gifts to liberate her patients from suffering or unease, and sharing her interest in fitness with fellow tennis players and friends at the Y.  Some of her greatest peace was at home, reading, tending the roses, and sharing life with Jim.