Tami Delaine Snider

On April 29, 2023, Tami Delaine Brightwell Snider, while having one last slumber party with her four children and her big sister, closed her eyes for the last time on this earth and opened them again at the gates of Heaven and was able to look upon the face of her Lord and Savior.

Tami was born on May 6, 1960, when her parents, Martha and Walter Brightwell, and sister, Ronda, received this wonderful blessing by welcoming her with open arms. From a young age, Tami’s sweet, loving soul captivated everyone who met her. She loved spending her childhood summers with her grandparents, Dewey and Essie Mae Faulkner, where she would spend her days riding their horse, Shorty. She also developed a love and passion for dancing. Tami danced and later went to help teach at June Badon’s School of Dance.

She graduated from Port Neches Groves High School in 1978. Tami found a love for taking care of others early in life. She started her career in healthcare in the early 70s. Tami later found her calling in Woman’s Services, where her spiritual gifts were used by teaching and serving new mothers as they brought life into the world and adjusted to motherhood in the first few days. She took great pride in her job and loved to help teach patients how to feed, swaddle, and comfort their new babies, and she loved to hold and feed those new babies while their exhausted new parents got some rest. She went above and beyond just the call duty of a nurse; she offered open arms to those that felt alone, a listening ear to those that felt unheard, and a voice for those that needed it.

Tami wasn’t just known for these qualities in her nursing career but also in her day-to-day life among her family and friends. She always greeted everyone with a smile and could converse with anyone. Though Tami loved being a nurse, her favorite job title was that of a mother and grandmother. She loved her children and grandchildren wholeheartedly, and we know God gave her an extra big one to have plenty of room for her football team of grandkids. Tami always took the chance to brag about her precious grandbabies, share the accomplishments of her children or show off the millions of pictures of them all that she had. Tami would do anything for her children and grandchildren and arranged her life around theirs so she could be at as many football games, band and choir concerts, cheer competitions, dance recitals, softball games, and everything in between as she could be. She never missed an awards ceremony or graduation and always ensured everyone felt treasured on their birthdays. Even on a regular day, she always made sure that they knew they were loved beyond measure by their mother, grandmother, and Jesus. Tami would also open her heart and home to her kids’ friends who didn’t have or needed that extra motherly love. She was known by most of them as Momma Tami, and now to many bonus grandbabies as she would call them, as Grandma Tami. Tami also had an unbreakable bond with her older sister, Ronda. They were inseparable. They were always there for each other no matter what, day or night. They would drop everything to be at the others side in a moment of need. Their sisterly love was a testament to their children and grandchildren on what family should be and a pillar for which the bond their children and grandchildren have now, was built on. In addition to her children and grandchildren, Tami’s other great love was her loyal dog, Emmitt. The two went on many adventures together, fulfilling Tami’s love for travel. Their favorite and most frequented trips were to Florida to visit Tami’s long-time friend Loretta, who she would say was more like her sister. They would spend days in a row together, just sitting on the beach and listening to the waves, collecting seashells, and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. She often said nothing was more peaceful than a beautiful day on a quiet beach.

Tami was a firm believer in her faith. She never missed an opportunity to remind her children and grandchildren just how much God loved them, that no matter what they faced, he was always there with them, and they could do anything through him. Despite the many trials Tami faced, her faith was solid, and she never asked why through the battles this last year. She trusted in God and the plan that he had for her life. And what a great life it was.

Survivors include her children, Sara Snider Reyes and her husband, Daniel; Brandon Snider and his wife, Jamie; Lexi Swindell and her husband, Aaron; and Kenzi Snider; grandchildren, Kurtis Reyes and his wife, Angel, Ty Ramirez, Tanner Reyes, Tate Reyes, Taylin Reyes, Owen Snider, Easton Snider, Anson Snider, Scarlet Snider, Ian Snider, Farralah McPeek, Alijah Johnson, Ava-Rae Swindell, Jack Swindell, Ben Tran, Henry Wong, Logan Jacobs, Natalie Jacobs, and Lyla Stepherson; great-grandchildren, Aurora, Greyson, and Aspen Reyes; sister, Ronda Wood and her husband, Mike Merritt; and nephews, Mason and Hunter Merritt.

She is greeted in Heaven by her parents; grandchildren, Alex Reyes and Bobby Snider; and nephew, Taylor Merritt.

A gathering of Tami’s family and friends will be 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m., Saturday, May 6, 2023, at Silsbee Huddle Event Center, 195 East Avenue H, Silsbee.  Tami loved the beach, so in her honor, please wear your favorite beach attire.  Her committal was held at Broussard’s Crematorium, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland.

Memorial contributions in Ms. Snider’s honor may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, North Carolina 28607.

The family asks that all flowers may be sent to 121 Winnie Circle, Silsbee, Texas 77656.