Obituaries - November 5, 2011 - Rev. John D. Snowden Jr.
The Rev. John D. Snowden Jr., 77, a retired Elder, died after a lengthy illness Nov. 5, 2011, two weeks before his 78th birthday. A wake was held Nov. 13 at Brooks UMC in St. Leonard, followed by a funeral service Nov. 14 at Union Bethel AME in Brandywine, where he worshipped.
He answered the call to ministry he'd heard while in the military, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 1983 and a Master of Divinity from Howard University in 1987. He was ordained a Deacon in 1985 and an Elder in 1990.
His first appointment was in 1986 to Asbury UMC on the Hagerstown Charge. In 1990, he served at St. Matthew's UMC in Dundalk, then in 1998 went to Elderslie-St. Andrews in Baltimore. In 2000 he moved to Brooks UMC in St. Leonard from which he retired in 2004. In 2006, he was called back into service at Mt. Hope UMC in Sunderland, which he served until ill health caused him to retire again in March, 2011.
Among his most cherished memories was a mission trip to Ghana with the Revs. Conrad and Diana Parker.
He received his early education in both Virginia and North Carolina as he traveled between mother, grandmother and aunt and boarded at school in Miller's Tavern, Va. He graduated from Jefferson High School in Charlottesville, Va., in 1950.
Snowden joined the U.S. Air Force upon graduation, was stationed in several states and served 14 months in Japan. After discharge he attended North Carolina College, majoring in music.
Though christened in the Episcopal Church, he later joined Ebenezer UMC in Lanham, where he was an active lay person, serving as Lay Leader, president of the Usher Board, organizer of the Junior Ushers and acolytes. He was a member of the Gospel Choir, often playing bass guitar. It was in Ebenezer that he met his wife, Cecelia, whom he married in 1980.
He was employed in Washington, D.C., as a computer specialist for the Computer Science Corporation, the District of Columbia and the Federal Treasury Department, from which he retired in 1984.
Survivors include his wife of 31 years, two sons: John D. Snowden III of Charlottesville, Va., and Gregory Freeman of Brandywine; a stepson, Robert W. Clark Jr., and step-daughter, Cheryl D. Clark; six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two godchildren.
Condolences may be sent to Dr. Cecelia Snowden, 5428 Whitfield Chapel Road, Lanham, MD 20706.
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