John “Jack” Snedeker, 1936–2026, was ‘more than a public servant’

John “Jack” Snedeker, of Waltham, passed away after a long illness on Thursday, April 16, 2026. He was 89.

Born on Oct. 1, 1936, in Waltham, he was the son of William and Alice (née Walsh) Snedeker. He grew up in a working-class city where reputation was earned through effort and how you treated people. He attended St. Charles School, where the Sisters of Saint Joseph played a lasting role in shaping his sense of responsibility. He later pursued further study at Merrimack College and served in the National Guard. A guiding force in Jack’s life was his unwavering commitment to his faith, his family and his country.

In 1967, he became part of the administration of Mayor Kevin White, beginning a career in which he spent much of his life in positions where decisions carried real consequence. He later served as Commissioner of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), overseeing an agency with several thousand employees responsible for metropolitan Boston’s reservoirs and water supply lands, public parks and parkways, urban beaches, and a dedicated police force.

The unrest at Carson Beach, which made national news in the mid-1970’s, and the Blizzard of 1978 were defining moments in Boston’s history, events that remain part of the public memory to this day. In his role as Commissioner, the work required decisions in moments when delay or error carried consequences. Jack was directly involved in navigating these challenges, contributing to efforts that required coordination, discipline and steady judgment under pressure. He received a letter of appreciation from the NAACP for his response to Carson Beach and was named Massachusetts Administrator of the Year in 1978 by the American Society of Public Administrators for his work responding to the Blizzard of 1978. He was also involved during periods of heightened tension associated with the city’s busing era and played a role in the Bicentennial celebration along the Esplanade in 1976.

After his time at the MDC, Jack continued his public service with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, where he helped oversee a period of transition and worked to improve operational efficiency. His work extended into the policy side as well, where he contributed to the development of legislation related to water infrastructure. He later moved into private consulting, remaining active in political and civic life throughout Massachusetts. In 1991, Jack returned to Waltham as Director of Public Works, where he proudly served for eleven years before retiring in 2001.

Wherever he went, Jack earned the trust of those around him, a reputation that stayed with him throughout his life. Jack was more than a public servant. He approached his work with clarity, humility and a steady focus on what mattered, leaving a lasting impression on those who worked with him. Beyond his work, he was known for the way he treated people, often going out of his way to help others without expecting anything in return. People would approach his children and tell them what Jack had done for them, sometimes small things, sometimes not, but always remembered. It happened often enough that it stopped being surprising. Even today, decades later, well-known figures in Boston still seek out his children to share what Jack meant to them, a measure of the reach and durability of the impression he left. An obituary can record the milestones of a life, but it can never fully capture how much he meant to the people who knew him.

In his personal life, Jack found his greatest enjoyment at his home in York Beach, Maine, where he spent summers with family and friends, enjoying Irish music, lobster and time together. Even then, he was never far from the work he cared about, continuing to advise and support political campaigns. As he would often say, “If you can give a little more to help people, you should.”

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Eileen (née Ring) Snedeker; their seven children, Catherine, John Jr., Eileen, Ellen, Carolyn, Michael and Lauren; as well as five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother, William Snedeker of Bedford, and is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be Friday, April 24, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Brasco & Sons Memorial Chapels, 773 Moody St., Waltham, MA. A Catholic mass will be held at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Parish, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Burial will be at Mount Feake Cemetery, 204 Prospect Street, Waltham, MA.