Daniel "Iron Dan" Lee Snyder, age 68, of Wake Forest, NC, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. True to his nature, he passed away doing exactly what he loved—working the family farm that he built from the ground up for the people he cherished most.

Born on January 23, 1958, in Scott City, Kansas, Dan came from humble beginnings and built a remarkable life of purpose. He was raised in Scott City alongside his five siblings by his parents, Ralph Snyder and Ruth Marie Deatrich. In 1976, he answered the call to service by joining the United States Marine Corps. Over a distinguished 29-year military career, Dan earned his graduate degree from Webster University and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His deployments took him to over 46 countries across the globe, serving his nation with fierce dedication before officially retiring from the Marine Corps in 2006.

Dan was a larger-than-life figure and a builder at heart. In 1997, he co-founded a custom homes business and successfully built homes until the day he passed. Yet, his greatest accomplishment was his life as a faithful servant. Dan loved God’s creation and was a self-described "outside dog"—an avid outdoorsman who was happiest under the open sky. He shared that love for the outdoors on his farm, raising cattle, horses, and his family alongside his wife.

To Dan, retirement was never an option. He lived by the biblical teaching that working and serving God are lifelong duties, fully embodying this ethos by working right up until the moment he was called home. Dan truly lived by the code of God, Family, and Country. His honor, integrity, and profound morals were enduring, and he successfully instilled these core values deep within his family.

His ministry was as practical as it was far-reaching, fostering thousands of relationships throughout his life. For 15 years, Dan served faithfully on the parking team at Cross Assembly Church, welcoming everyone with an open heart. Over that same decade and a half, he taught local Concealed Carry classes, intentionally using the platform to mentor others and leading countless individuals to Christ and to a church home at Cross Assembly. Anyone who knew Dan knew he possessed an unwavering, blunt certainty about his salvation. To him, facing death was not a fear but a homecoming; he knew that our sole purpose on earth is to faithfully serve our Heavenly Father in all that we do. Dan served his country as a Marine, his family as a dedicated father, husband, and provider, and his Savior as a good and faithful servant.

Dan is survived by his beloved wife, Patricia Snyder; his two sons, Austin and Cody Snyder; his daughter, Lauren Snyder; his daughters-in-law’s, Bayley and Grace Snyder; and his precious granddaughter, Lawson Snyder. He is also survived by his mother, Ruth Deatrich; his brothers, Duane and Dean Snyder; and his sister, Melanie Franklin. He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Snyder, and his brothers, Don and David Snyder.

A public visitation will be held on Friday, September 25, 2026, from 9:30 AM to 10:50 AM at Cross Assembly Church (Yonkers Location), located off Yonkers Road in Raleigh, NC. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM. A burial will take place after the service and will remain private for immediate family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Global Missions Fund at Cross Assembly in Raleigh, NC, to honor Dan's lifelong passion for leading others to Christ.