Sidney "Sid" Snegg

SPRINGFIELD - Sidney “Sid” Snegg, passed away, surrounded by his loving family, at the Holyoke Soldier’s Home on February 7, 2019 at the age of 97.

Born in Worcester, MA in 1921, Sid was the youngest son of the late Harry and Ida (Swidler) Snegg. As a youngster he loved playing basketball at the Worcester Boys Club with his older brother Samuel Snegg and their many friends.

Sid graduated from the High School of Commerce in Worcester in 1941 and worked as a machinist for Crompton Knowles until joining the Army Air Corps in 1942, where he served in Italy as an airplane mechanic and POW guard. He returned home after the war to earn an Associate's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Junior College as well as Bachelors and Masters degrees in Education from Fitchburg State College. In 1952, he married Judith (Goldman) Snegg of Fitchburg, MA.

After graduating from college, Sid began his teaching career as an industrial arts and math teacher in Ashburnham and then Bedford, MA. He and Judith moved to Springfield in 1954 where Sid taught special education industrial arts at Buckingham Junior High School, touching the lives of hundreds of the city’s young people. Sid ran a summer camp for special education students from 1960 – 1968. In 1976, he was named director of vocational education for the Springfield Public School system, a position he held for 10 years until retiring in 1986. Sid stayed active in education after retirement as a consultant on the building of Springfield Central High School, a member of the Putnam Vocational High School advisory committee, a volunteer math tutor, and an adjunct professor at Westfield State College.

Sid was also very active in his community as a member of Springfield Elks Lodge #61 and Sinai Temple for more than 50 years. He served on the boards of Sinai Temple and the Springfield Teacher’s Credit Union, was President of Sinai Brotherhood and the JCC’s Silver Foxes and Belles Senior Group, Chairman of the Elks #61 Jewish and Veterans Committees, the Lodge National and State Scholarship Committee, and the Jewish War Veterans Post 26 Scholarship Committee. Sid received countless awards throughout his life including Lodge #61 Elk of the Year, Jewish Elk of The Year, Veteran Elk of the Year, and Jewish Elk Emeritus along with the Rabbi Herman E. Snyder Award, and the Jewish Community Center Orenstein Service Award.
Sid was a life-long athlete and loved playing racquetball and tennis, often with people 20 years his junior. He took up ballroom dancing in his 70s and was a fixture at the Jewish Community Center gym and swimming pool well into his 90s.

Sid leaves behind his beloved daughter Maureen Burns of Springfield and granddaughter Megan Burns of Waltham, MA along with many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, his wife Judith, and his brother Samuel Snegg of Cranston, RI.

Funeral services will be held at Sinai Temple, 1100 Dickinson Street, Springfield, MA on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019 at 10 am followed by a reception at the temple and a private burial at Agudas Achim Cemetery in Fitchburg, MA. Shiva services will be held at the family home on Monday Feb. 11 and Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7 pm. For details contact Sinai Temple at (413) 736-3619. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sidney Snegg Memorial Scholarship Fund care of Arrha Credit Union, 145 Industry Street, Springfield, MA 01104. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Miles Funeral Home of Holden.