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Melvin L. Snyder, computer executive

Melvin L. Snyder, 80, a retired executive in the computer industry and an advocate for the hearing-impaired, died of kidney failure Friday, Dec. 24, at Doylestown Hospital Hospice.

Melvin L. Snyder, 80, a retired executive in the computer industry and an advocate for the hearing-impaired, died of kidney failure Friday, Dec. 24, at Doylestown Hospital Hospice.

A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Snyder lived in Cherry Hill for 46 years before moving three years ago to Ann's Choice, a retirement residence in Warminster.

Mr. Snyder began his professional career in the new computer division at Radio Corp. of America in Camden in 1951. He spent 20 years with RCA, then worked in computer technology for other companies.

In 1983, he joined the Okidata division of Oki America in Mount Laurel as staff manager for engineering. He made 17 trips to the Oki headquarters in Japan, helped educate Japanese executives about U.S. corporate culture, and made many Japanese friends who visited his home in New Jersey, said his son, Marc. Mr. Snyder retired from Okidata in 1997.

He graduated from Olney High School in 1947. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1951, where he met his future wife, Norma Britowich, a nursing student at Penn.

He earned a master's degree in business administration from Drexel University in 1959 while with RCA. He was a veteran of the Navy Reserve.

About eight years ago, Mr. Snyder began wearing hearing aids, and encouraged friends with hearing impairments to seek help, his son said. He was on the board of the New Jersey Hearing Aid Dispensers Examining Committee and was involved with the establishment of the hearing and speech sciences program at Burlington County College.

For 13 years, Mr. Snyder was an arbitrator with the National Center for Dispute Settlement and for Better Business Bureaus in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in "lemon law" disputes.

Since moving to Ann's Choice, Mr. Snyder had helped establish a stained-glass club and enjoyed working with the in-house television station. Residents were grateful for his help setting up and troubleshooting problems with their computers and televisions, his son said.

In addition to his wife of 59 years and son, Mr. Snyder is survived by a daughter, Beth; a sister; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, at the chapel at Ann's Choice, 20000 Ann's Choice Way, Warminster. Mr. Snyder donated his body to medical science.