Bill Carey

August 7, 2015

Obituary As Reported In The Syracuse Post-Standard

William C. Snee, best known as Bill Carey, one of Central New York's most honored television news journalists, passed away Friday at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, after a struggle with lung cancer that began in 2013. He was born October 1, 1953 in Auburn, NY; he was 61 and continued with the work he loved until the final weeks of his life. He was a Syracuse Press Club Wall of Distinction honoree, the highest honor the organization awards, and a recipient of the press club's Bliven-Ganley-Rossi Career Achievement Award. He had won three Emmys, six RTNDA Murrow Awards and dozens of awards from the Syracuse Press Club and New York Associated Press Broadcasters Association. He was known as a skilled writer, a disciplined editor and a mentor and guiding light to many young journalists. As press club president Josh Cradduck said in a statement Saturday: "A long list of the young people who got their first break in the business under Bill now populates the media in Syracuse and across the country. We join them in remembering and honoring one of the greatest reporters Central New York has and will ever know." Bill's career began in radio at WMBO, in Auburn in 1971. He joined WHEN radio in 1974 and by 1976 was news director. His family remembers that he began using "Carey," his middle name, as his broadcasting name early in his career, because a colleague had a name that sounded similar to "Snee." Bill often led his young staff in beating his competitors to stories, and inspired young reporters to win numerous awards. He moved from radio to TV in the mid-1980s, where he quickly became one of the best visual storytellers in the region. He was a favorite of news photographers who respected his focus, his creativity, and his keen understanding of the visual aspects of the medium. He rose to the position of Executive Producer of WTVH, overseeing day-to-day operations of the Channel 5 newsroom. He later became News Director, leading the station to an Emmy award for Best Newscast. But he left WTVH in 1993 to return to a role he always loved: Being a reporter. He picked up numerous awards while serving at WIXT (now WSYR), before he made a brief return to radio, and then helped to put Time Warner Cable's all-news channel, News 10 Now, on the air. Until his death, he served as senior reporter and field anchor for the operation. Bill was one of the most well-traveled journalists in regional history. He traveled with local military units to the Gulf War, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia and to relief operations in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. Bill has traveled to London, Lockerbie, Germany, Israel, Lebanon and Jordan. He reported from Ground Zero, Pearl Harbor and the Vatican. But he also-and memorably-covered virtually every major local story in Central New York for over 40 years. He was predeceased by his parents, James F. Snee and Catherine K. (Green) Snee; one brother, Daniel J. Snee; and one sister, Christina M. Snee. Bill is survived by his wife, MaryEllen (Leonard) Snee. Married in 1973, they met when they both worked at WMBO. He is also survived by three children, Jennifer Snee Holland; William C. Snee II, (Angel Reyes); and Joelle Snee Feinberg (Benjamin); six grandchildren, Jayshaun Van Loan, Ethan Holland, Jaedyn Holland, Keelin Feinberg, Kyla Feinberg, and Kallie Snee; two siblings, James M. (Idah) Snee and Carol (Keith) Snee Miller; along with many nieces and nephews he loved very much. His family says he loved to travel - he especially enjoyed trips to Disney World-and had a great enthusiasm and knowledge of popular music. He was a voracious reader and a student of history, but his wife and children say his passion, at all times and in all ways and at all hours, was the news. A Mass of Christian Burial in celebration of Bill's life will be conducted at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Church. Burial will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Auburn. Family and friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2015 at the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME, 3401 Vickery Rd. (corner of Buckley Rd.) North Syracuse, NY. In Bill's honor, memorial donations can be sent in care of "Giving," Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065. Words of comfort may be expressed at   Thomas J. Pirro Jr. Funeral Home