Since Mary and Greg Snider moved into their Cutter Way home in June, they’ve been asked more than once – many times in fact – of plans to change their home’s exterior color. The answer is a definitive “no.” They love its periwinkle color.
The couple purchased the circa 1929 house from the prior owner who lived there for 46 years, a daughter of Benny Goodman aka the “King of Swing.” Because of Greg’s interest in that era’s music, the seller left several pieces of memorabilia for the new owners.
Both are now retired. Mary enjoyed a 30-year career in marketing and practice management of various health care practices. She was elected as a council member in Oro Valley, AZ (near Tucson) and served for eight years. During this time, she spearheaded an initiative to establish safe high school grad night celebrations (alcohol and drug-free).
Greg served 28 years with the FBI. His career took the family from Portland, to Houston, to San Francisco, then Tucson. During his last year with the FBI, he served in Kiev, Ukraine working with the Ukrainian government to address stemming the tide of human trafficking.
Following his FBI career, Greg spent 18 months in Iraq embedded with the U.S. Army and served as a Law Enforcement Professional (LEP.) “He played a key role in establishing the use of forensic evidence to identify critical components of the IED’s that were killing our soldiers,” said Mary
After careers that took them to various locales and at times separated from their adult children, the Snider family is reunited in the Sacramento-Bay Area region. One son and his family live in Land Park, an eight-minute drive from their three-year-old grandson. The other son works and resides in the Menlo Park area.
Echoing a sentiment expressed by many Curtis Park newcomers,
“We immediately felt a community vibe,” said Mary. “A feeling of acceptance.”