Joanne E. Snapp

Joanne E. Snapp, age 95, of Wichita, KS passed away to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, June 26, 2022. She was born July 27, 1926, to Harold and Elsie Hadley in Wichita. Joanne married Melvin Snapp in 1946 and had 1 daughter Linda, 3 sons Bob, John and Chuck plus 9 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-granchildren. She was a homemaker, cook/cashier at Pleasant Valley School, and pianist for over 70 years at Wichita Baptist Tabernacle and Friendship Baptist Church. Music was her passion — she shared her musical talents with family and friends throughout her entire life.

After her mother passed away when Joanne was 4 years old, Joanne was raised in West Wichita and stayed on her father’s dairy farm and with her grandmother (“Grandma Jones”). She loved to play on the farm and drive the tractor. In 1933, her father married Margaret Knowlton, who had two children of her own, Beverly and Bonita. Beverly and Bonita became sisters to Joanne in addition to her siblings Margie, Mary and Richard — Margaret became a mother to all of them.

Grandma Jones introduced Joanne to the piano, gave her piano lessons and helped nurture her love for music. This developed into a passion early on and she excelled at the piano, playing/singing in church, school and family gatherings. She also played the church organ and accordion.

After attending North High School, Joanne worked on her father’s dairy farm rising every morning at the crack of dawn to tend to dozens of dairy cattle and other related farm chores. While still a teenager, Joanne then went to work for the Hartman estate in East Wichita as a personal valet and assistant to Mrs. Hartman. It was during her time there that one of her co-workers, Dale Snapp, introduced her to his brother, Melvin Snapp, who had recently returned from the armed services. They later married in 1946.

Raising a family, Melvin and Joanne were very active and involved for many years with the Wichita Baptist Tabernacle and later, Friendship Baptist Church in Wichita. Joanne brought her musical skills to the Church and served as principal pianist for over 70 years. She knew, from memory, nearly every hymn in the book and usually played with no hymnal or printed music at all. In addition to congregational singing and the church choir, Joanne accompanied many different soloists, duets, trios, quartets, and larger groups. She formed and directed ladies singing groups and children’s choirs. And she even played AND sang with some of those groups on a few occasions when an extra voice was needed.

Joanne also played piano (and organ) outside the church at numerous weddings, funerals, anniversaries, and other special events in Wichita and the surrounding area. Through her music and ever present positive attitude, Joanne brought music, joy and comfort to people’s lives for many, many years. Even recently, at age 95, Joanne was still playing the piano from memory and inspiring others around her.

Music and her devotion to the Church was a major part of Joanne’s life, but she had many other activities and interests that made her life so fulfilling. She loved gardening, cooking, family vacations, finding a good bargain at a garage sale and most of all, spending time with family. Family was her top priority in everything that she did. She had a positive attitude at all times and was always cheerful and smiling. To her, it was all about helping and supporting family — her needs were secondary as far as she was concerned. Even in her final days, she showed more concern about family than she did for herself. Her focus on family first and love for family never faded.

Joanne was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin; son, Robert (Bob); son-in-law, Dennis Cowel; parents, Harold and Elsie Hadley; step-mother, Margaret Knowlton; sisters, Mary (Bill) Frerking and Margie Bowman; brother, Richard Hadley; sister, Beverly Beatty; and brother-in-law, Max Mattingly. Other close family members who have passed before her include Ken Shank, Valerie Shank, Koath and Aline Beichley, Dale and Evelyn Snapp, Raymond and Ruth Snapp, Eddie Snapp, Wanda and Len Eisenzimmer, Jack Ballard, Sr., and Ron Ballard.

She leaves to cherish her memory a daughter, Linda Cowel; sons, John (Vicki) Snapp and Chuck Snapp; sister, Bonita Mattingly; 9 grandchildren, Cheryl (Ted) Meyer, Jenni (Keith) Kelley, Tricia (Drew) Amend, Crystal Snapp, Tracy Mendoza, Melissa (Jeremy) Edwards, Julie (Darren) Hicks, Mark (Samantha) Cowel and Steve (Dawn) Snapp; great grandchildren who will miss her are, Jessica (Nathan) Howard, Karsten Meier, Jarrett Meier, Curtis Meier, Emily (Sam) Walter, Karis Kelley, Jonathan Kelley, Joshua Kelley, Zak Kelley, Aubrey Amend, Austin Amend, Abigail Amend, Calvin Cowel, Kaci Cowel, Madison Edwards, Mason Edwards, Miles Edwards, Avery Hicks, Ally Hicks, Jake Mendoza, Ellie Mendoza, Sophie Snapp, and Kelsey Valis; and great great grandchildren, Elora Howard and Kingston Valis.

Other beloved family members who will cherish Joanne’s memory include Bonnie Shank, Duane and Kathleen Beichley, Dixie Snapp, Sharon and Gary Smith, Sharon Ballard, Jack Ballard (Jr), Louise Ballard, Donna Mattingly, Robert Mattingly, and many others including her church family of many years.

For Joanne, life was all about family.

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A Celebration of Life service open to all will be held at 2 pm on Friday, July 8, at Friendship Baptist Church, 2209 E. Pawnee, Wichita, Kansas. Family will greet friends prior to and immediately after the service. A private family gathering at the Resthaven Gardens of Memory, Garden of Freedom will take place in the morning (no public viewing).

Memorial contributions may be made to Friendship Baptist Church in care of Resthaven Mortuary, 11800 W. Kellogg, Wichita KS 67209.