Taylor-Beall & Snyder Family Fund
The Taylor-Beall & Snyder Family Fund, established in 2015 by Roscoe (Ronnie) and Diane Taylor Beall, provides perpetual funding to support the Canaan Valley Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, ensuring the maintenance and improvement of its facilities and community services.
TYPE OF FUND: Designated
DATE ESTABLISHED: August 2015
PURPOSE: To honor the memory of Phelps Paul Taylor, Jr., Roscoe C. Beall, Jr., and Virginia Lee (Hott) Beall, and to honor the lives of Arlene M. (Taylor) Snyder and Bobbie D. (Bob) Snyder. The fund shall be used and distributed to benefit the Canaan Valley Volunteer Fire Department (CV VFD) Auxiliary. If the CV VFD Auxiliary ceases to exist, proceeds from the fund shall benefit the Canaan Valley Volunteer Fire Department.
DISTRIBUTION: The funds are to be dispersed to the CV VFD Auxiliary by approval of the full Board of Directors of TCF. Upon recommendation of the Fund Advisors, distributions may be reinvested in the fund.
VARIANCE POWER: The fund shall be subject to the Foundation’s Asset Development Policy and specifically the Foundation’s Variance Power, which states: “If, in the judgment of the TCF Board of Directors, the restrictions and conditions of the Fund become unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment, or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community, the TCF Board of Directors maintains the right to modify the terms of this fund. Tucker Community Foundation has exclusive legal control over its assets.”
FUNDING: Initial funding was provided by Roscoe (Ronnie) and Diane Taylor Beall in memory of Ronnie’s parents and in memory of Diane’s father, as well as in honor of her mother and stepfather.
BACKGROUND: Phelps Paul Taylor, Jr. (1923–1983) was a devoted husband and father who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a respected community leader, an Elder in the Church of Christ, and an active member of the Lions Club. A passionate outdoorsman, he enjoyed bird hunting and fishing. He retired as Postmaster of the Pennsboro, WV Post Office but passed away just one week after his retirement.
His wife, Arlene McCullough Taylor, worked as a riveter in Akron, Ohio during WWII. After being widowed for nine years, she married her high school classmate, Bob Snyder, in 1991. Arlene has always been devoted to her family, community, and church, with a passion for quilting and cooking. Bob Snyder, an Army veteran who served in Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe, retired from Hope Gas Company after 35 years. He is a talented musician and race car enthusiast. Even in their 90s, Arlene and Bob continued their adventurous spirit, enjoying RV travel and arriving at church on their Gold Wing Tricycle.
Roscoe C. Beall, Jr. (1916–1989) was a lifelong farmer in Canaan Valley and a graduate of West Virginia University with a degree in Agriculture. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Sons of the Soil, retiring from the Department of Health and Human Services. His wife, Virginia Lee (Hott) Beall (1919–1983), was a homemaker and active community member, participating in the Eastern Star, the Canaan Valley Farm Women’s Club, and the Methodist Church. She was known for her love of family, cooking, and gardening.
Roscoe and Virginia’s son, Ronnie Beall, and his wife Diane have continued their family’s legacy of community service. They raised their four children—Katherine, Elizabeth, Susan, and Mitchell—on the family farm in Canaan Valley. Ronnie retired after more than 30 years as a Financial Administrator for the U.S. District Court in Elkins, WV, while Diane has served the Tucker Community Foundation for 26 years and has been actively involved in the CV VFD Auxiliary since 1989, serving as president since 2011.
The CV VFD kitchen and fire hall are vital community spaces used extensively for events and gatherings. The Taylor-Beall & Snyder Family Fund ensures perpetual support for facility repairs, maintenance, and improvements, as well as other auxiliary activities that benefit the local community.
