OBITUARY: John H. Snowgren, 1910-2005, Mitchell County, Iowa 

Web-posted: April 12, 2005  by www.mcpress.com -- (edited)



                          John H. Snowgren

Memorial services for John H. Snowgren, age 94, of Osage and formerly of
Marshalltown, will be held on Monday, May 2, 2005, at the Elim Lutheran
Church, 302 W. Church St., Marshalltown, Iowa, with Pastor Karen Cluts
officiating.

Inurnment will be at the Riverside Cemetery in Marshalltown. John died
Wednesday, March 23, 2005, at Mitchell County Regional Health Center
in Osage.

John was born December 22, 1910, in Madrid, Iowa, the son of Earl Vivian
and Iva Maurine (Hildreth) Snowgren. He attended grade schools in Pella,
Perry, and Madrid, Iowa.  John graduated in 1928 from the Rhodes, Iowa
high school.  He also attended Drake University in Des Moines.   John was
united in marriage to Ruth Justine Bretthauer on July 4, 1933.  John's
career was in the egg and poultry business, with him starting as being
a partner in the Melbourne Produce in Melbourne, Iowa.

He then operated Snowgren Produce in Zearing, Iowa, from 1932 to 1945,
after which he was President of the Central Iowa Poultry and Egg Company
in Marshalltown until 1955. John then was vice-president of Randolph Foods
in Marshalltown and Guthrie Center. In 1963, he became associated with
Cumberland Farms Stores in Boston, Mass., after which he became a full
time associate with Oskaloosa Foods in Oskaloosa, Iowa in 1965.

Starting in 1975, he spent winters in McAllen, Texas, and continued to work
the balance of the year at Oskaloosa Foods. John moved to Osage in 2000,
making his home at the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. John
was Past Exalted Ruler, B.P.O.E. 312 in Marshalltown, and was past president
of the North Central States Poultry and Egg Institute. He was chairman of
the building committee for the classroom addition at Elim Lutheran Church
in Marshalltown, where he served as president of the church council.

John was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Ruth Snowgren on
November 19, 1996; his daughter Jacky Maakestad on August 6, 2004; and a
sister, Adah Hilleman.

He is survived by a son-in-law Edwin Maakestad of Osage; two grandchildren,
Nicole Maakestad of Des Moines and Jon Maakestad of North Liberty; and two
great-grandchildren.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, is in charge of the arrangements,
(641)732-3706.


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