Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 17 March 2001 Submitted by Charlene Beatty Beauchamp cbodessa@classicnet.net Thanks to the Odessa American Online http://www.oaoa.com/ ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** OA Online Obituaries. March 17, 2001 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] Leon Snelson MIDLAND Services for Leon Snelson have been scheduled for 2 p.m. today, March 17, 2001, at Second Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Kepple of Ranchland Heights Baptist Church officiating and the Rev. H.W. Erwin Jr. of Second Baptist Church assisting. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Pipkin Funeral Home and Chapel. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "That they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." (Rev. 14:13) Leon Snelson was born June 22, 1927, in Newcastle, Okla., to James W. and Lois Snelson. He moved with his family to Texas at an early age. Growing up on the farm and later working in the oil patch of West Texas, he learned the meaning of hard work and dedication to work well done. He later passed this on to his own family. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Shortly after being discharged, he was "doodlebugging" in Big Lake, where he met Bonnie Pace, who waited on him at the local bank. They were married May 29, 1948, in Big Lake. Their marriage has been a model of fidelity and devotion, not only to each other, but to the purpose, which God designed for their lives as partners in ministry in and through the church. God blessed them with six sons. On the basis of Gods amazing grace and prayers of a godly mother, Leons life was marvelously changed in 1951. He was working as a roughneck on a drilling rig outside of Crane and one evening he walked off the rig floor into the doghouse. There, he knelt on his knees and met his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This started the beginning of a life dedicated to Jesus, for which he remained faithful until March 13, 2001, when the Lord saw fit to call Leon home to live eternally with Him. Believing God had called him to preach. Leon surrendered to that ministry in 1956. He served with pioneer Southern Baptist Missions in New Mexico, Colorado and California. He also had several pastorates in Texas. He had a burning passion to see people born again into the Kingdom of God. He owned and operated Snelsons Pumping Unit Service from 1980 to 1986. One son, Terry, his mother and father, a brother, Paul, and five sisters, Elsie, Evie, Effie, Emily and Marie, preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie of Midland, and five sons, Mike and his wife Beverly of Odessa, Denny and his wife Mona, Tim and his wife Sherry and Steve, all of Midland, and Mark and his wife Treva of Lorena. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, a sister, Billie Faglie and her husband Raymond of Snohamish, Wash., and a brother, Leo Snelson and his wife Mary Jim of Junction. Leon touched many lives, and he will be missed greatly by everyone. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Faith, Hope and Love International, 102 E. Lyon St., Laredo, Texas, 78040 and/or Jubilee Ministry, P.O. Box 1280, Rapid City, S.D., 57709. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000, 2001 Odessa American. All rights reserved.