Edward Lionel Snelling, age 95, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family at his Prior Lake home on Monday evening, July 27, 2015.
A Celebration of Life Service will be on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at 10:30 am, with visitation one hour prior, both at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation 833 South Marschall Road, Shakopee, MN. Edward will be laid to rest with his wife, Margie at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. Full military honors will be provided by the Fort Snelling Volunteer Rifle Squad.
Edward was born on February 18, 1920 in Angus, MN to parents Victor and Margaret (Pahlen) Snelling. Growing up during the depression in Thief River Falls, MN, he would pull a sled around town selling firewood. Here, he was involved in Boy Scouts and attended elementary school, middle school and Lincoln High School for part of the tenth grade. Being an exceptional athlete, Edward waited until after the 1936 homecoming game to drop out of school. He felt it was his responsibility to enter the workforce with the Civilian Conservation Corp (C.C.C.) to bring income to his family. Edward worked for the C.C.C. for three years.
In September 1939, Edward proudly enlisted into the United States Army for the next five years. Part of his years were spent on special and secret missions in the Persian Gulf. Prior to shipping out overseas, Edward married the love of his life, Margie Mercedes Ripley on November 4, 1941 in Thief River Falls, MN. They were blessed with five children: Douglas, Mary Susan, Judy, Donna and Brian.
For most of Edward and Margie’s early married years, they called Fergus Falls, MN home. He took employment with Ziegler Corporation as one of the first field mechanics. Edward serviced equipment over a large portion of Minnesota. In his company vehicle, Edward always had a fishing pole and came home many nights with a full stringer of fresh fish for the family. He later was offered a supervisory job with Ziegler, moving them to Eagan and then Prior Lake, MN. After 37 years, Edward retired from Ziegler but being a hard worker and provider, he went to work with a friend in Dodge Center into his early 70’s. After retiring again, Edward’s focus in life became the caregiver to his wife of 63 years, until Margie passed on March 13, 2004.
Edward found the most enjoyment being with his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He had this amazing engineering mind and could fix anything with items he had on hand. A simple and humble man, Edward had this dry wit. He was a man of few words but when Edward spoke, it was worth listening to. Over the years, Edward had one regret in life that he did not obtain a high school diploma. His dreams came true in May of 2015, when he was an official honorary graduate of Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls, MN.
Edward will always be remembered for being a great husband, devoted father, and a loving grandpa and great-grandpa. Left to honor his life and forever be missed by his children; Mary Susan Snelling, Judy (Edward) Preston, Donna (Ronald) Henderson, Brian (Roseann) Snelling; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; sister, Florence Hanek; sisters-in-law, Norma Snelling, and Sylvia Ripley; and other relatives and friends.
There to welcome Edward home in heaven is his beloved wife, Margie; son, Douglas; granddaughter, Adina Cardwell; parents, Victor and Margaret; brother, Douglas Snelling; and sister, Dorothy (Frank) Rutherford.
