Richard D. ‘Dick’ Snell went to be with his Lord on Sunday, May 5, 2002 at his home in Sedro-Woolley, WA with his family at his side at the age of 66 years. He was born July 15, 1935 in Lawrence, Kansas the son of Carol William and Lena Violet Godfrey Snell. Richard was a resident of Sedro-Woolley for the past 61 years where he worked as a self employed logger with his brother and father for Snell Logging Co. For many years, Dick logged in the Forks area of western Washington.
Dick enjoyed sports especially attending Husky football games including Rose Bowl Games in Pasadena, CA. He also enjoyed riding motorcycles and made several trips to Daytona Beach, FL on his bike. Dick was an active member of the Northern Peaks Christian Fellowship Church and at one time organized a youth basketball team at the church. He was married to Shirley Green on April 23, 1955 in Mount Vernon, WA and they had just celebrated 47 years of marriage. Dick is survived by his wife Shirley Snell of the family home in Sedro-Woolley. Children Barbara Hernandez, Rodney Snell, and Patty Kaaland and her husband Bill all of Sedro-Woolley. 6 grandchildren Trisha Garcia, Ross Snell, Whitney Snell, Patrice Tacker, Kelsey Morgan, & Wesley Snell. 2 great grandchildren Teresa and Miguel Garcia. 2 brothers Russell and his wife Marjorie Snell of Sedro-Woolley and Roger and his wife Denise Snell of Chehalis. Brother and sister in law Robert and Joan Green of Sedro-Woolley and a sister in law Patty Green of Stanwood. Special aunt and uncle Lola and Ed Locken of Sedro-Woolley. 4 nieces Caryl Burrough, Ilene Robbins, Linda Jo Cruse, and Angie Allen. 4 nephews Jimmy and Kelly Green and Levi and Tanner Snell. He was preceded in death by his parents and a son Wesley Dean Snell.
Funeral Services will be Thursday, May 9, 2002 at 3:00 PM at the Northern Peaks Christian Fellowship Church on Hwy 20 in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor Tim Griffin officiating. Burial will follow at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery. A reception will follow the services at the church. Memorials are suggested to Skagit Hospice or Northern Peaks Christian Fellowship. Arrangements and Services under the care of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.
Dick Snell, aka ‘Hungry’, played a huge role in my life. He helped me “not get killed” when we were logging “up the Bogachiel” in the summer of 1977, and kept me on just before the 4th of July break, though I was almost too worthless (from a labor standpoint) to deal with. I was green when he and Slim had taken me on as a favor to Walt Furhman in early June, and still too ‘smart’ for my own good four weeks later.
That day, sometime the week of June 27th before the woods shut down for a couple weeks, I was so tired by mid-morning that I sat down on a flat, mostly logged slope a couple turns before stopping for lunch. At Dick’s not-so-patient urging (always with the tagline of keeping me alive), I got up and took a dozen steps back from where I’d been. Not 30 seconds after I’d moved, the haul back (or was it the mainline) snapped down to the ground (exactly where I’d been sitting) with a force that would have undoubtedly not helped keep me alive.
After lunch, we kept moving. Dick assigned me to choke the butt of a piss fur down in a hole created by a tangle of other trees. I jumped down into the hole, finally got the knob into the bell, and then heard the whistle blow to start the turn. I struggled to climb out, but it was too deep. Dick was there on the top log. With his Stihl in one hand, he reached down, grabbed the back of my jeans, lifted me onto the log, and we both ran out to avoid getting caught in the turn.
Dick’s honest kindness – the example he and Russell both set as man and business man – was not coddling, but teaching: Evolutionary patience = Patience with me in order that I might evolve. And I did. I don’t go a week without remembering (warmly and often with laughter) my summer with Hungry, Slim, Curley and Toad. My nickname? Ol’ Cryin Steve.