I’ve been thinking a lot about my former Troop 8 buddy, Tiger photo staffer and classmate Joe Snell. I found this photo of him cutting up outside the Central’s darkroom on the same day I got the sad news that his mother had died.
Norma Ruth Snell
Here is the obit that appeared in The Missourian:
Norma Ruth Snell, 96, of Cape Girardeau passed away Saturday, June 15, 2013, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.
She was born Dec. 19, 1916, in Frohna, Mo., daughter of Joseph R. and Edna I. Hellwege Mueller. She and Stanley Lee Snell were married May 18, 1946, in Cape Girardeau. He passed away April 15, 2010.
Norma was baptized and confirmed at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna and was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. She was a perpetual care-giver to friends and relatives at the Lutheran Home.
Loving survivors include a son, Joseph (Marguerite) Snell of Lake St. Louis, Mo.; daughter-in-law Sharon Snell of Cape Girardeau; four grandchildren, Jennifer (David) Doering of O’Fallon, Mo., Joseph Snell Jr. of Imperial, Mo., Joseph (Julie) Vetter of Creve Coeur, Mo., and Mark (Agata) Vetter of Brooklyn, N.Y; and five great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; a son, the Rev. Jerry L. Snell; and a sister.
Stan Snell
I didn’t know Joe’s mother very well, but his dad, Stan Snell, was a favorite of the boys in Troop 8. He was a dead ringer for Popeye the Sailor Man.
He died April 15, 2010. The comments that followed the post I did on Stan Snell brought back a lot of fond memories.
I remember Rev. Jerry Snell from SEMO. I see that he was only age 44 when he died. I believe he was serving a church in New Melle, MO at that time, but does anyone here know how he died?
My younger brother Jerry Snell had a massive heart attack in the parsonage(St Paul Lutheran New Melle). He was DOA at the hospital in Wentzville. I had received a phone call from the church office secretary and arrived at the hospital prior to the ambulance.
I’m very sorry to hear this. It must have been a terrible shock your family, and to his congregation as well.
Jerry was my class mate at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. A good guy. I heard he passed a while ago, but just thought I would say he influenced my life positively. Good guy.
I knew Stan Snell when he was a bookkeeper at Wiethop Truck Sales for several years. I think he told me he was rebuilding an old truck and he knew the cost of every nut and bolt and any other part. Don’t know if he ever got it done. Didn’t know any of his family.
I wonder what Joe is doing sitting on the floor at Central with his legs in the air? ….and I wonder if he can still do the same today? Joe?
Didn’t Joe work on the Girardot photos too? Ken I remember both of you running around with your cameras. I considered both of you good friends at Central.
I think all the photographers worked for both publications. For that matter, a lot of photos in the 1966 book were mine, even though Central spit me out in 1965. We didn’t stand on ceremony much. We were working for free and all the film we could steal.
I appreciate your sense of history. I’m not sure if I even have one of my senior cards. Thanks for recording and preserving our history.