Snell, Roy W. 1882-1921

SNELL, RANK

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke-Volunteer
Date: 2/23/2014 at 11:48:04

Source: Hawarden Independent ( 12-1-1921)

Born: July 8, 1882
Died: 1921

All- Hawarden is sadden through the death of Attorney Roy W. Snell which occurred about four o’clock Wednesday afternoon at his home in this city. His death came as a distinct shock to the community as up until the day of his death few knew that his condition was even regarded as serious. He was taken ill the fore part of September and was obliged to take to his bed at that time with an attack of inflammatory rheumatism. He suffered intensely during this siege of sickness but within a few weeks had improved so that he was able to make the trip to his old home at Ida Grove where he expected to spend a few weeks convalescing. His condition was aggravated through some cause, however, and upon his arrival at Ida Grove he was obliged to enter the hospital there where he remained until about a month ago when he returned home. Although not bedfast, much of the time during the past month his condition made no marked improvement and he was obliged to remain within his home. He was at his law office only on one or two occasions during the past month and then only for a brief space of time. Tuesday afternoon his condition became worse and a specialist and nurse were summoned from Sioux City and from then on it was feared by those who watched over him that he was fighting a losing battle. The rheumatism with which he had suffered so greatly had touched his heart. He retained full consciousness, however, up until the very last and just a few moments before he passed away he asked his brother to do some telephoning for him. His brother had scarcely reached the telephone before the nurse summoned him back and in an instant his life had flown.

Short services will be held at the home at 1:30 Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. A.M. McIntosh of Sioux City, former pastor of the Presbyterian Church in this city of which the deceased was a member. The remains will then be taken on the afternoon Northwestern train to Ida Grove where services will be held at 1 o’clock Saturday at the Snell home after which interment will be made in the cemetery at that place. The American Legion will form an honorary escort from the home to the train Friday afternoon and several ex-services men will accompany the funeral party to Ida Grove.

Roy Waldo Snell was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. T.S. Snell and was born at Ida Grove, Iowa, July 8, 1882, where he grew to young manhood, thus he was in his 39th year. He attended college in Chicago and later at Iowa City where he graduated from the State University law school in 1909. After practicing law for a year in Sioux City he formed a partnership with W.S. Randall, a classmate at the State University, and they opened an office in Hawarden in August, 1910. They met with most unusual success from the start and this partnership has been continued until the present time. Mr. Snell took a very active interest in political affairs. He was a staunch republican and was frequently honored by his party in the county, district and state. He served as a member of Governor Clark’s staff and in 1916 was chosen as the eleventh district member of the republican state central committee. He enjoyed a wide personal acquaintance with men of large influence throughout the state and perhaps few young men in Iowa were so well known or so highly esteemed as Roy Snell. He had the happy faculty of making friends easily and these friendships were firmly cemented as those who came to know him recognized his ability and his vision. His ability as an organizer was given signal recognition during the war when in 1917 he was commissioned a major by the War Department and placed in charge of all disbursements in the state of Iowa in connection with the draft, which duty he discharged with high distinction. He made a great personal sacrifice in accepting this commission, giving up a very lucrative law practice in order that he might “do his bit” for his country in time of need. Following his release from the military service he resumed his legal practice. In Hawarden which he has continued with marked success. Last summer he was honored by the supreme Court of Iowa by being selected as a member of the State Board of Law Examiners which has charge of the examination of all candidates for admission to the bar. A number of years ago he became a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of this city and three years ago was made vice president of the institution which position he still retained. He was a member of nearly all the fraternal organizations in this city and was a member of the Consistory and Shrine of Sioux City.
On March 25, 1916, he was united in marriage with Miss Hazel Rank in Hawarden. This marriage proved ideal and the family life in the Snell home has been most happy. Words are inadequate to express the feeling of sympathy which goes out from the entire community to the wife and fatherless child, Roy Jr., who are left to mourn his passing. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. T.S. Snell Sr., two brothers, T.S. Snell Jr. and Bruce Snell and one sister, Miss Catherine Snell, all of Ida Grove. His father passed away only last spring.

A man on the street this morning expressed to this writer the simple sentiment: “My friend is gone.” In that brief sentence he summoned up the feeling that is uppermost today in the hearts of hundreds of Hawarden citizens. “My friend is gone.” What finer tribute could be paid to any map than that this plain statement should be echoed on the tongues of those who knew him in life and honored his. Words are inadequate to express the feeling of sympathy which goes out from the entire community to the wife and fatherless child, Roy Jr., who are left to mourn his passing. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. T.S. Snell Sr., two brothers, T.S. Snell Jr. and Bruce Snell, and one sister, Miss Catherine Snell, all of Ida Grove. His father passed away only last spring.

Life for him held forth great promise of future achievement and to be thus stricken down in the very prime of manhood while yet merely on the threshold of the heights to which he might have attained is a matter which it is difficult for the human heart to comprehend. His deayh leaves a vacant place in the community which cannot be filled.