Paulyn Snyder

Paulyn Snyder was born May 19, 1947. Her parents, Paul and Dorothy (Heinsz) Snyder named her Bonita Mae and family called her Bonnie. Bonnie entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in middle school and later took her vows to become a nun. She changed her name to Paulyn during this time, and many still refer to her as Sister Paulyn.

Paulyn achieved many things in life, bachelor's and master’s degrees, career changes - a teacher throughout the diocese in her life as a Catholic nun, a social worker after leaving the convent – with success in all career fields. Her greatest gift was being able to reach people. Everyone who met Paulyn felt the genuineness of her heart, faithfulness in God, and, simply put, love. She exuded warmth and comfort with a simple salutation. She could toss out a “Hey, Honey. How are you doing?” and the recipient of that greeting felt the love and comfort of a proverbial hug. She cared with her entire soul no matter whom she was speaking to, and you could not help but feel that love in every word.

Caring for those experiencing homelessness and poverty was her calling in life, second only to her Catholic faith. She spent her life ministering to others, but she never made anyone feel othered. She lovingly referred to all she met as her friends, and she meant that.

Paulyn saved lives, both literally and figuratively. Paulyn helped a 7-year-old boy at the school she taught at get into and pay for a special education class he needed, and that boy grew into a man with a college degree. He recently wrote her a letter thanking her for saving his life. Because Paulyn believed in him, he did not act on desires to take steps to leave this world. In those moments of despair, her confidence in him saved his life.

Paulyn encouraged a teenage girl to follow her dreams of a career in music, despite living in a poor area where she bullied for attending Catholic school. Her encouragement led that girl to grow into a woman who went on to play in the St. Louis Symphony. This woman credits Paulyn with changing the course of her life by pushing her to follow her musical passion.

Paulyn cared for AIDS patients in the 1990’s when these patients were shunned and discarded. She took her elderly mother with her where they cared for and prayed with and for the patients, bringing love and light to their final days.

Paulyn started Paulyn’s Holy Angels shelter in 1985 to care for those living without homes. In that position, she met many people with whom she developed life-long friendships. So many people have spoken with family about how they randomly met Paulyn and from that point forward they were friends. She started Paulyn House in 2008 to offer counseling, showering and food preparation space.

More recently, when the tornado hit St. Louis in 2025, Paulyn helped others run the food pantry at St. Peter Claver Church, offering not only physical food but spiritual food. The spirituality is where she thrived. She would listen with an open heart, spend time to be present and offer prayers to those with heavy hearts. She would then go home and pray for those she met during the day.

Paulyn loved seeing children learn and be present for the Lord. She helped children that came to the pantry to write their prayers to Jesus to be included in the prayer box that was later incorporated into the Mass. She loved seeing children at Mass and when they were, much to their parents’ dismay, running through church or slightly missing their cue as they were involved in Mass, she would delight in their acts. For her, the children being present in church was the gift.

So far, you know that Paulyn was intelligent, kind, caring, spiritual, and welcoming, but she was also funny. She had a sense of humor that was witty, playful and sometimes a little surprising. She could make you laugh when you were least expecting it, and with an off the cuff remark you might not expect from a nun, or ex-nun. Her laugh was contagious and her smile bright and welcoming. She was always looking for a man, even though, truth be told, she never really wanted to find one. She was happy to “borrow” someone else’s husband for a quick joke.

Paulyn spent many decades caring for a woman she met in her ministry, Charlotte. Paulyn was Charlotte’s “mama” even though Charlotte was only 7 years younger than Paulyn. Charlotte was a staple at family events and was loved dearly by Paulyn. In her last act, Paulyn located a home that was a great fit for Charlotte and ensured that she would be well cared for after Paulyn’s passing.

When Paulyn was diagnosed with cancer in February of 2026, she greeted this news with faith. She accepted that this was the path she was to travel and prayed, not for healing, but for faithfulness. Those prayers never wavered, and neither did her faith. She declared “God is so good” even in the throes of pain and sickness resulting from the cancer that wreaked havoc on her body. She passed in her home, surrounded by family and friends on June 1, 2026.

Paulyn rejoiced in the fact that her journey with cancer may have influenced others to be faithful in their own journeys, become stronger in their faith or even find their way back to faith. Shortly before she went to be with the Lord, she declared that her time for ministry on earth was done and she needed to start her work in Heaven. She continues to inspire those who loved and knew her.

In her final act of giving, Paulyn donated her body to St. Louis University School of Medicine.

Paulyn is survived by her sister, Barb Bott of St. Charles; nephew, Paul Bott (Keith Buchholz) of St. Louis; Tim Stanfield, husband of her nephew, Steven; nieces, Diana Bott of St. Ann, Alisa Walker (Duane Walker Jr) of Lawrence, Kansas, and Angela Powell of Davenport, Iowa; Charlotte Graham, and countless friends who are now family and her church family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Dorothy, sister, Paulette Krug, brothers-in-law, Clayton Krug, and David Bott, and nephew, Steven Bott.

A Mass celebrating her life and legacy of love will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 4330 Shreve Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri.

Memorials can be made to St Peter Claver Catholic Church, St. Vincent De Paul in East St. Louis, IL and Doorways. Wolfersberger Funeral Home, O’Fallon, Ill., www.wfh-ofallon.com, assisted the family.