Roll Call Tribute

Lea A. (Snyder) Preator 

November 20, 1953 - January 21, 2024 

January 21, 2024, Lea was able to find peace after a 19-year battle with Alzheimer’s.

Lea was born November 20, 1953, to Hank and Virginia Snyder in Farmington New Mexico. She was the oldest of two brothers, Bruce and John, and sister Carol. Hank worked for Marathon Oil so Lea attended schools in Lawrenceville Illinois, Brooklyn Mississippi, and graduated high school from Henderson, Texas. Lea attended Texas A&M University, and graduated in 1976 in marketing and was a lifelong proud Aggie!

In 1975 while working as a roustabout in Oregon Basin, Lea met Randy Preator, they were married August. 7, 1976, and had a honeymoon marriage.

Lea and Randy moved to Laramie where Lea received her MBA in finance, had two babies, Steven and Shauna, and was an adjunct professor in the business department until 1981 when they moved back to Cody, WY and added one more joy to the family, Ryan in 1982. Lea read to our children every morning and gave them a lifetime love of reading and learning.

Lea kept books for Preator Construction and was active in Soroptimist International, but her passion was teaching. Lea taught business and math for Northwest College until her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in 2005.

Lea was preceded in death by her parents Hank and Virginia Snyder, and her brothers-in-law whom she loved so much, Bruce and Joe Preator.

Lea is survived by her husband Randy and their three children, Steven (Krisy) Preator, Shauna (Joe) Montgomery, Ryan (Sharon) Preator, and 6 grandchildren. Jeff and Carley Preator, Abigail and Dean Montgomery, Emily and Kaitlyn Preator. Brothers Bruce(leis) Snyder, John (Patty) Snyder, and sister Carol (Bill) Jensen.

Lea wrote a letter before she was overtaken by Alzheimer’s and said that she did not want a sad somber funeral, but a joyful celebration of her life with music and dancing. As per Lea’s wishes, we will have a celebration of her life on Saturday January 27th, 2 P.M. at the Geysers on the Terrace with music and dancing.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Soroptimists International of Cody, P.O. box 1914, Cody, WY.