Donald "Don" Snell
Mr. Donald Espy “Don” Snell, 81, of Skipperville (Morgan Community) went home to be with his Lord and Savior, September 6, 2023 at Noland Hospital in Dothan, Alabama. Homegoing services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, September 10, 2023, at Morgan Baptist Church on County Road 333 with Reverend Tim Sewell and Reverend Bill Hart officiating. Burial will follow in the Beersheba Cemetery under the direction of Holman Funeral Home of Ozark. The family will receive friends Saturday at the funeral home in Ozark from 4:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. Mr. Snell was born January 12, 1942 in the Brown’s Church Community to Meticous and Lucile Spivey Snell. After working a short time at the A & P in Ozark, Alabama as meat manager and Madison Construction Company, he began his own contracting business and for over 64 years, built beautiful homes and buildings. He often would say that anybody could be a carpenter but his wife was quick to answer that it was a special trade because Jesus was a carpenter. He enjoyed building dream homes for his customers. He always had another home on his list to be built before he finished one. So many young people would tell him that he was not going to retire until he built their home. He was from the old school when it came to work, he did not cut corners and he never overcharged a single homebuilder. He loved building and he did it very well. Even in the hospital, he was calculating how to replace the ceiling tiles in his room.
Mr. Snell loved traveling with his wife especially to the mountains. He loved Gospel music, hunting, fishing, watching any kind of sports especially football and was a huge fan of the University of Alabama. He loved G.W. Long School and was often in the stands supporting whatever sport being played. Don was a quiet man, a man of few words, but the influence he had on other people that was shared during the 29 days he was in the hospital was amazing. His sincerity and love of his Lord, touched every person he came in contact with at Flowers Hospital and Noland Center. There were many tears shed by the nurses, doctors, and housekeeping staff because he had made such a major influence on them. He loved the children and youth at Morgan Church and even in a crowd, they would go to him first to tell him they loved him and had to get that sweet, gentle hug. Mr. Snell was a member of Morgan Baptist Church where he served as Song Leader, member of the Board of Directors, the cemetery committee, and other committees. He was always willing to serve any place he was needed. He loved his church and often sang specials during church services, at funerals and weddings. He was preceded in death by his parents, Met and Lucille Snell; Father-In-Law and Mother-In-Law, Roy and Ruth Watson; three brothers, Webb, James (Faye), Roy Snell, and brother in-law, Roy Watson Jr. and one sister, Willie Earl (Brooks) Clark, Tallahassee, Florida. Mr. Snell is survived by his wife of 17 years, Virginia Watson Snell; four daughters, Monique Snell Phipps (Tim) of Ozark, Stephanie Snell Pinyan (Coley) of Skipperville, Carrie Snell Cole (Mike) of Dothan, Kimberly Payne Leverette (Bill) of Montgomery; eight grandchildren, Brad (Erika), Eric (Rachel) and Cody (Autumn) Phipps, Erin Pinyan Wright (Clint), Casi and Sofi Cole, Sarah Elizabeth Leverette of Montgomery, Margaret Claire Leverette Medina (Michael) of Houston, Texas and 13 great grandchildren; Mother of his three daughters, Sara Nell Snell; brother, Jesse (Tater) Snell of Skipperville; sisters, Mary Gobble and Linda West of Skipperville; brother-in-law, Jimmy (Betty) Watson of Ozark; sister-in-law, Anna Myrl Snell. Many nieces and nephews also survive. Serving as pallbearers will be Brad Phipps, Tim Phipps, Coley Pinyan, Mike Cole, Bill Leverette, and Heath Watson. Honorary pallbearers are Eric Phipps, Cody Phipps, Clint Wright, Jimmy Watson, Hasten Watson, Holt Watson, Grant Watson, and Tal Watson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Morgan Baptist Church, c/o Mrs. Betty Watson, 186 White Oak Bend, Ozark, Alabama 36360.
