Kenneth Frank Snelling

Kenneth Frank Snelling, 85, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 2, 2018. Ken, my father, was born in Bristow, Oklahoma and came to California with my grandparents, Frank and Ruth Snelling, during the Dust Bowl migration. The family settled in Delano where my father excelled in track and field and graduated in 1949.

He attended and graduated from Fresno State University, was drafted into the U.S. Navy where he served for several years before being honorably discharged. The family laughs when they remember he technically went AWOL to marry my mother, Jo Ann McClung, but fortunately, was not sent to the brig. He went on to become an elementary school teacher spending most of his years at Ericsson Elementary School in Fresno teaching 6th and 4th grade until his retirement. Most summers were spent at their cabin in Wilsonia in Kings Canyon National Park where for many of those summers, he worked as a Park Ranger greeting campers from horseback as a patrolman or at the gate. Thousands of summer campers were introduced to the magnificent Sequoia trees with my Dad's ever-present smile.

When not at the cabin, my father and mother were often traveling in their truck and camper several times criss-crossing the United States and visiting most of the National Parks. They also traveled to Europe many times with a student-led group by their Wilsonia neighbors Hans and Darlene.

My father was a fantastic handyman and in his later years, spent many of his summers helping fix up and repair cabins in Wilsonia . He was also a longtime member and deacon at Fresno First Baptist Church.

Even with the onset of Alzheimer's, Dad was always quick with a smile and a handshake and he endeared himself to everyone at Sunrise Senior Center in Fair Oaks where he lived the last three years of his life with my mother.

He was loved by all and will be missed by his family, friends, former students and the hundreds of people his kindness touched.

Ken Snelling is survived by his wife, Jo Ann Snelling of Fair Oaks, his son, David Snelling of Fair Oaks, his daughter, Julie Snelling of Pioneertown, CA., his brother, Jim Snelling of Bakersfield, two sisters, Mona Harris of Fresno and Karen Stein of New Mexico, and three granddaughters, Ann Bryan of Champaign, IL, Carrie and Joanie Scofield of Pioneer Town, CA.