Robert Dean Snedeker, age 93, formerly of Indio, CA and more recently Sugar Springs in Gladwin, MI, went to be with his Lord and Heavenly family on Saturday, September 25th, 2022. He was born June 30th, 1929, in Marshall County, WV, to the late Myrtle Bell Snedeker Rice and John Lawrence Snedeker.
Dean grew up in Wheeling, WV, graduated from Durand High School in 1947 and served in the U.S. Army Airforce. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and Past President of the Palm Desert, California Shriners Club. Dean married the love of his life, Judith Kay Mieras, on October 28th, 1961, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Dean attended the Rossford Ordnance Depot, Joint Military Packaging Training Center, Toledo, Ohio, the University of Arizona, and the University of Southern California. He resided in CA for over 50 years, working as a packaging/traffic executive for McDonnell Aircraft, RCA and Boeing Aircraft until retirement in 1989. Dean and Judy spent their summers in Sugar Springs and enjoyed it as their permanent home for the last five years.
Dean was a very competitive, all-around sportsman. In his younger years, excelling in baseball and basketball and later became an avid golfer who loved the game and lived each day to hit that next hole in one. He gave numerous golf lessons, won three club championships and accomplished five hole in one shots. His last was on February 15th, 2015, at Santa Rose Country Club, CA, when he was just 85 years young.
He will be remembered for the ability to tell stories of baseball, vintage cars, family and close friends of days gone by. While he told these stories over and over, we never tired of them and wish we could hear them one more time.
Dean leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving and devoted wife, Judy, of 61 years; son, Robert D. Snedeker, II of Kingsport, TN; grandson, Sean (Taylor) Snedeker of Bancroft; great-granddaughter, Jade Rae; nephew, William A. Karas II (Marsha) of Flushing; niece, Dawn Karas McGladdery (Guy) of Marquette. He was preceded in death by his parents, Myrtle and John Snedeker of Triadelphia, WV; sister, Delores E. Karas; and brother-in-law William A. Karas of Durand.
Dean’s family will greet relatives and friends for visitation Tuesday, October 4th, 2022, from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Hall-Kokotovich Funeral Home, 440 East Cedar Ave. Gladwin, MI, 48624. The funeral will take place Wednesday, October 5th, 2022, at 1:00 p.m., with visitation beginning at noon. The interment will be at the Fairplains Cemetery in Grand Rapids at a later date. Following Dean’s wishes, the family requests that memorial contributions are made to the “Shriners Hospitals for Children” in lieu of flowers. Shriner Hospital donation cards will be available at the funeral home or by calling the Shriners at 844-739-0849 and referencing Dean’s name. Special thanks to our nephew Billy, family and friends, Dean’s doctors, and nurses for their ongoing love and support.
