Marian Glyn (Tuttle) Snell July 16th, 1931 – April 25th, 2018 In the small hours of the morning on Wednesday, April 25th, this world lost the presence of a gracious, gentle, strong and loving soul. Mom was born to Edmun and Blanche Tuttle on July 16th, 1931 in the town of Cody, Wyoming. Growing up, Mom and her twin sister, Sherry, were on the pep squad at Cody High, lettered as part of the marching band, spent time on their uncle’s ranch and served up shakes and malts at the local soda fountain.
Both women went on to school at Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyoming and eventually on to the University of Wyoming, graduating in 1955 with degrees in Elementary Education. While at the U of Wyo. both were members of the Cowboys Rifle and Sharpshooters Club.
Additionally, Mom was a member of the Lambda Delta Sigma (LDS) sorority which was a precursor to the LDS Student Association. Mom and Dad started dating while at Northwest Community College and five years later, on July 6th, 1956, after Mom had been teaching for a year in New Mexico and Dad finished aviation school in San Antonio, Texas, they married and so began the travels. The newlyweds spent their first few years of marriage living on Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls Montana with Mom continuing to teach until the couple turned into a family.
When Dad was posted to Anderson AFB in Guam, the world travels began. Over the years, Mom held us together. When Typhoon Karen hit Guam and Dad took his plane to Japan, to ride out the event, we holed up in the bathroom with supplies; when Dad went to Vietnam we moved to Cody, Wyoming to be close to family; and every time Dad was away, quite often for months at a time, Mom made sure our lives continued without a blip.
Our house, wherever it was, was always a home. She taught us to embrace the life we were presented when moving to new places, which happened every couple years. She loved living off base in Bermuda and the Azores, and immersed us in a life filled with cultural experiences.
Once Dad retired and our family settled in Ogden, Utah, Mom dusted off that teaching degree. She spent her professional years teaching first and third grade. Over the 20 years she taught, she touched the lives of so many children.
With her open and non-judgmental philosophy of life, she believed they all deserved to come into her classroom with a clean slate, and so they did. She generously shared her love of teaching with others and was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international sorority of women educators. After retirement, she volunteered by assisting in area kindergartens where, with her years of experience and graceful presence, she was a welcome help to many new teachers.
A believer in serving her community, Mom participated in Officer’s Wives Clubs with charity work being a priority. We remember her spending time volunteering at the base hospitals where we were stationed. Mom’s church calling was as the librarian in the Plain City, Utah LDS church.
She was always making dinners for people, cookies for someone and delivering clothes or toys to those in need. Ever the athlete, in addition to her shooting skills, this diminutive woman was a ferocious tennis player, she also bowled and golfed. Mom had many interests; she gardened, was a skilled seamstress, painted, and could decorate a cake like no other Mom we knew.
As we think about Mom’s life we think about the light that came from within her, we think about the small things she would say to guide our lives without directing us. We think about the fact that in an age where it took 30 days for a mailed package, and seven days for a mailed letter, to go from one side of the world to the other, she and Dad ventured forth from Wyoming and traveled the world, building a family as they went. Thanks for being so brave Mom and for teaching us to find joy in the small things in life!
Mom is preceded in death by our Dad, Roy Phillip Snell; her sister, Sherry Reninger (Tuttle); and her parents, Blanche and Edmun Tuttle. She is survived by her brother, Max Tuttle; her daughters, A. Kaye Moulding (LeRoy) and Pamala J. Snell (Ted Nolan); and son Eric D. Snell (Alisa Larson), along with 13 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family will meet with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 4, 2018 at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send donations to an education focused, or Parkinson’s research, foundation of your choice. A special thank you to the wonderful people at Mountain Ridge Assisted Living for helping Mom stay independent over the past few years.
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