For a full century, Sidney Snyder lived with a steady mix of independence, humor and devotion to the people closest to him. A World War II veteran who built his life around family bonds and a genuine interest in others, he died on Nov. 12 at 100.

His children and grandchildren said his age was never the most notable thing about him. What stood out, they said, was the way he stayed present. “He was always checking in,” his grandson Matt Gorski said. “He never missed a birthday, he never missed an event. His best gift was just being there.”

Born on Sept. 4, 1925, he grew up on Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia in a working-class Jewish family. His parents, Benjamin and Sarah Snyder, came from immigrant roots that emphasized self-reliance and education. His daughter, Ellyn Downes, sai

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