Onalie Snell, age 98, of Zephyrhills, FL and formerly of Gaylord, MI, entered Heaven’s gates on Tue, Jul 16, 2019.
She was born on Apr 10, 1921 in Cheboygan, MI. Onalie was predeceased by her parents, Olie and Mary (Phillips) Roen, and her devoted husband of 53 years, Ronald E “Gene” Snell. As an only child, her extended family brought so much joy to her. Sadly, also passing before her were two sisters in law (Fern Schryer and Kathy Clark) and three brothers in law (George Schryer, Harry Clark, and Don Woiderski) all of Cheboygan.
A loving mother and homemaker, Onalie’s topmost priority was family, never missing her children’s activities. After they were all in school, Onalie served as secretary to the Superintendent of Schools in Gaylord, as well as exclusively acting as Otsego County Census-taker for about 10 years. She also worked briefly at Gaylord Credit Union and in the office of Otsego County Clerk/ Register of Deeds. She was an active member in the Gaylord First United Methodist Church, Order of Eastern Star and Otsego County Extension Program. Onalie’s creative hobbies included sewing, knitting, and crocheting. The beautiful end-results of her talent were proudly worn by her children and grandchildren.
For many years leading up to her passing, she and Gene wintered in Zephyrhills, FL. They lived in the close-knit community of Country Aire Village. Known for her infectious sense of humor, CAV members enjoyed a monthly newsletter written by Onalie for about 20 years, eventually retiring from that position at age 90 due to health. During that same period of time, she organized the CAV Membership Directory, and for several years served as CAV Association President, as well as other Association positions.
Onalie is survived by her son, Ron (Margie) of Gaylord, two daughters, Judi (John) Martenson of Gaylord, and Valerie Snell of Zephyrhills, FL. She was an adoring grandmother and delighted spending time with her 7 grandchildren: Ronnie, Stacey, Amy, Matthew, Adam, Joe, and Michael. Restricted by her inability to travel during her final years, her enjoyment of her beloved great grandchildren and great great grandchildren was mainly through photographs. She also leaves behind her sister in law, Karon (Tevis) Edington of Cheboygan, as well as many nieces and nephews, all of whom gave her so much happiness over her lifetime.
For those who have known Onalie in her rewarding journey with us, there will be a Celebration of Life at the First United Methodist Church of Gaylord on Sunday the 24th of Aug. There will be a brief gathering period at 11 am for the Memorial Service.