Esther Lavelle Snyder (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Johnson) (January 7, 1920 – August 4, 2006) was an American businesswoman. She co-founded
In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger is an American regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations primarily in California and the Southwest. It was founded in Baldwin Park, California, in 1948 by Harry (1913–1976) and Esther Snyder (1920–2006). The cha ...
, with her husband
Harry Snyder
Harry Snyder (September 9, 1913 – December 14, 1976) was a Canadian-born businessman. He founded In-N-Out Burger along with his wife Esther Snyder. Snyder was one of the first people to develop the idea of a drive-through hamburger restaurant ...
, in 1948.
Early life
Snyder was born and raised in
Sorento, Illinois, as one of eight children (seven daughters, one son). She attended
Greenville College
Greenville University is a private university in Greenville, Illinois. It is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church. Established as Greenville College in 1892, the institution was renamed Greenville University in 2017.
History
In 1855, Stephe ...
and graduated from
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University (SPU) is a private Christian university in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1891 in conjunction with the Oregon and Washington Conference of the Free Methodist Church as the Seattle Seminary. It became the Seat ...
with a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in
zoology
Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...
.
Marriage and family
She met
Harry Snyder
Harry Snyder (September 9, 1913 – December 14, 1976) was a Canadian-born businessman. He founded In-N-Out Burger along with his wife Esther Snyder. Snyder was one of the first people to develop the idea of a drive-through hamburger restaurant ...
in 1947, while working at a restaurant in Seattle; the two were married the following year and moved to
Baldwin Park, California
Baldwin Park is a city located in the central San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,176, down from 75,390 at the 2010 census.
History
Baldwin Park began as p ...
.
Esther and Harry Snyder had two sons: Harry Guy (more commonly referred to as simply "Guy"; born 1951) and Richard Snyder (born 1952) and one granddaughter from their first son Guy:
Lynsi (born 1982). Esther outlived her husband, who died in 1976 and both of their sons, one of whom died in a plane crash and the other of a drug overdose.
Death
Snyder died on August 4, 2006, in
Baldwin Park, California
Baldwin Park is a city located in the central San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,176, down from 75,390 at the 2010 census.
History
Baldwin Park began as p ...
, aged 86, from undisclosed causes. Her only grandchild,
Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson, is now the heiress to the In-N-Out Burger company.
Esther Snyder Community Center
Since In-N-Out Burger was started in the city of Baldwin Park, the city named its community center after Esther Snyder.
References
Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Snyder, Esther
1920 births
2006 deaths
American food company founders
American Methodists
Businesspeople from Los Angeles
Fast-food chain founders
Greenville College people
People from Baldwin Park, California
People from Bond County, Illinois
Seattle Pacific University alumni
American women company founders
American company founders
Snyder family