Stanley Snider died at his home in Needham on April 4. He was 94, and had been a well-known business leader, innovator and the chairman emeritus of Stanmar, Inc. based in Wayland.

He was the second of four generations to lead the company. From the original family business, started by his father Harry, Stanley created Stanmar, a company of which he was fiercely proud, In later years, he was pleased that the next two generations of his family continued to lead and evolve the business.

His hero was Henry David Thoreau, whose writings inspired him during his youth to pursue his quest for individuality. His willingness to swim against the tide was an attribute of Stanley’s entire life.

Stanmar was a leader in the first generation of pre-fabricated vacation homes after World War II. Always innovative and a problem solver, Stanley anticipated the future, hence the title of his memoir, Mr. What If.

He evolved his company into building suburban churches, YMCAs and then vacation and residential communities (including Mattakesett in Edgartown and The Farm at Chestnut Hill) and Smuggler’s Notch Ski Resort in Jeffersonvile, Vt. He and his wife Mary Ann worked together to create these communities, delighting in providing meaningful multi-generational experiences and lifestyles for others to enjoy and which continue to this day. Stanley liked to say, “community building was our business.” Today Stanmar is a leading designer and builder of facilities for private schools, universities, Boys and Girls Clubs, country clubs, and a developer and operator of unique island resorts.

He and Mary Ann loved to travel, especially to Japan where they shared a passion for landscaping, culture and pottery. They loved to ski and bike ride, always meeting new friends along the way and creating meaning in the lives of others. They were avid art collectors and lifetime supporters of the Museum of Fine Arts.

In the 1990s, he conceived of and created the Summer Institute on Martha’s Vineyard at the Hebrew Center, a think tank of speakers and topics that were meant to provoke discussion and togetherness at his favorite home, Martha’s Vineyard. Today the Summer Institute is a robust organization with broad appeal and interests across the Island.

A graduate of Phillips Academy, Harvard University and Harvard Business School, he continued to learn throughout his life. After retiring from Stanmar, he started many men’s discussion groups in Boston, Martha’s Vineyard and Jupiter, Fla. to keep his mind active year-round and to stimulate others. He made new and close friends at every turn along the way. He loved his family and is survived by Mary Ann Kane, his beloved wife of 68 years; his sons Mark and Jim, and their spouses Gwenn and Terra; grandchildren Oliver and spouse Yaoyao Kelly, Annie, Matt, Pallas and spouse Chris Ziporyn, Sage and spouse Kevin Pereira, and Solon; three great-grandchildren; and his sister Ruth Bernstein. His brother Eliot Snider predeceased him.

His funeral was held at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley on Thursday, April 7 at 10:30 a.m. with interment at Crawford Street Memorial Park in West Roxbury for the family only. Shiva will be held at The Farm at Chestnut Hill, 99 Florence street, Chestnut Hill, Building 60, Apartment 2-B, on Friday April 8 from 2 to 6 p.m. All attendees should be vaccinated and boosted. Masks are optional.

Donations can be sent to Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, 111 Edgartown Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, 130 Center street, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.