Barbara Jean Pompei-Snyder
- 83 years old
- Year of birth: 1933
- Place of birth: Newton, Massachusetts, United States
- Year of passing: 2016
- Place of passing: Fresno, California, United States
Barbara Pompei-Snyder brought warmth, laughter, and love wherever she went. She filled her home — and the lives of those around her — with the scent of home-cooked meals, the joy of good stories, and the comfort of her steady faith. This page is dedicated to celebrating the woman who gave so much of herself to others and left behind a legacy of kindness, humor, and love that will never fade.
In Loving Memory of
Barbara Pompei-Snyder
1933 – 2016
This memorial website was created in loving memory of Barbara Pompei-Snyder, who was born in 1933 and passed away in November 2016. She was laid to rest that December.
We will forever remember Barbara for her funny stories, her incredible Italian cooking, her heart for serving others, her faith in God, and her wonderfully mixed-up phrases — like the unforgettable, “Could you spray some of the DW-40?”
A Hopeless Romantic
Barbara adored the charm and elegance of the movie stars from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. She was a true romantic at heart — and she never met a Hallmark Channel movie she didn’t like.
A Home Filled with Magic
Every visit to Barbara’s home was a celebration. She had an endless supply of holiday decorations, and she made each season feel special. Walking into her house always felt like stepping into a bit of magic.
She was a master at making her famous pumpkin stew — cooked right in the pumpkin! Her other specialties included perfectly seasoned Chex Mix, half-mile-high apple pies, and delicate pizzelles.
She also had a love for Mexican food, and if a celebration wasn’t held at her home, you could be sure it took place at her favorite local restaurant.
A Life of Work and Grace
After retiring from Breuner’s Furniture Store, Barbara continued her career at J.C. Penney until she finally let retirement “stick.” Both places benefited from her keen eye for detail and her gentle charm. As a bridal consultant, her grace and etiquette made both brides and mothers happy — no small feat!
Born to Nurture
As the firstborn, Barbara helped raise her two younger brothers and later two children of her own. But her love didn’t stop there. She opened her heart and home to care for several cousins’ children, nurturing them from infancy to school age.
She had the “grandma thing” down to perfection — extending her love even to the neighborhood children. Every child she cared for was made to feel special, cherished, and loved as if they were her own.
A Love That Endured
Barbara’s heart belonged to one man — Glenn.
Though their paths eventually diverged after 27 years of marriage, her love for him never did. She loved him more than he loved her, but that never dimmed the light in her heart.
She was content with what she had in him — a good provider, a devoted father, and the man she chose to love for a lifetime, even if he fell a little short in the ways a husband sometimes can.
For Barbara, love was never about perfection. It was about devotion, forgiveness, and the quiet hope that maybe, just maybe, life would someday grant her that movie-style ending she always dreamed of — the one where love circles back, even if only in the heart.
And in that kind of love — enduring, hopeful, and beautifully human — she found her story’s true ending.
Barbara’s legacy lives on through the laughter she inspired, the meals she lovingly prepared, and the countless lives she touched.
Her heart was as big as her smile — and her love, in all its forms, will be remembered always.
