RAYMOND “RAY” SNODGRASS

Ray was born to parents Lewis

and Roberta on August 19, 1937,

in Springfield, Baca County,

Colo. Ray was the second of four

children, with an older brother,

and a younger sister and brother.

Ray passed peacefully in his sleep

in the early morning hours of

December 1, 2022, at the age of 85

years.

Ray is preceded in death by his

father Lewis Snodgrass, mother

Roberta (Daugherty) Snodgrass,

older brother Lloyd Snodgrass

and his beloved wife Elva DeEtta

“Dee” (Kennedy) Snodgrass.

Ray is survived by his sister

Rosalie (Ray) Hall, brother Leroy

Snodgrass, daughters Raylene

(Calvin) Josserand, Julie (Hank)

McCarthy, Linda Theesfeld,

son Casey (Nancy Hatfield)

Snodgrass, 7 grandchildren, 9

great-grandchildren, 4 great-greatgrandchildren and in-laws, nieces,

nephews and friends too numerous

to count.

At the time of his birth, Ray’s

family was living and farming in

the Edler community, southwest

of Springfield. Around the midforties, the family moved to

southwestern Kansas for a spell,

relocating to the Springfield area

in 1951 to what would become

referred to as “the family farm”

southwest of Springfield.

Ray attended and graduated

Springfield High School, Class

of 1955, where he was active

in athletics and FFA as well as

achieving National Honor Society

recognition.

After high school Ray married

Dee Kennedy, also of Springfield,

on June 1, 1958. This joyous union

begat four children, three girls and

one boy, all named above.

To support his new bride,

Ray owned and operated the

Snodgrass Conoco service station

in Springfield. With an eye to the

future, Ray gained employment

with Plateau Natural Gas Co. as

a service man. Ray would stay

in the natural gas business until

his retirement. Ray saw Plateau

change names several times

through his tenure (Northern NG,

People’s NG, etc.), but stuck

with it and retired as a Regional

Manager serving eastern Colorado,

Nebraska, Kansas and others.

Ray’s career led his family on a

storied journey throughout eastern

Colorado and Colorado Springs.

All three girls were born in

Lamar, before the family moved

to Burlington, where the fourth

child and only boy was born. As

Ray progressed and advanced

within the gas company, the family

moved to Flagler, then Cheyenne

Wells, then Limon and finally

Colorado Springs before settling

back in Burlington. While there

will always be deep family roots in

Springfield and Baca County, Ray

and Dee ultimately adopted and

considered Burlington as “home”.

Ray’s restless nature and desire to

help and serve others led him to a

post-retirement second career with

the City of Burlington, where he

was tasked with the maintenance of

the city’s senior living apartments

and assisted-income housing. He

had a great passion for working

with his hands, and he especially

took joy in helping others. Ray

was loved and respected by the

people he worked with and for. It

was a good fit for all.

All who knew him, knew that

Ray was always an avid sportsman.

In his early adult life, he loved

participating in town-team sports,

particularly baseball or softball

and basketball. Ray also coached

competitive women’s fast pitch

softball for several years. He had

a marked passion for individual

sports such as golf and racquetball

as well. He participated in

countless tournaments throughout

the years and enjoyed playing both

at every opportunity. It was not

unusual for him to golf twice a day

when he had the opportunity after

his second retirement.

In addition to all things sports,

Ray always took pride in his

home and spent countless hours

maintaining his yard and gardens.

His yard was always well tended,

and often earned him and Dee

accolades and the occasional

award from the local garden club.

Though Ray considered

Burlington home until the end,

his final time was spent in a

very nice assisted living facility

in Westminster, Colo., where

he was well taken care of. The

Westminster location was also

very convenient for visitation, as

all Ray and Dee’s children and

many extended family members

reside in the Denver area. This is

of great comfort to his family, as

we know that he was well loved,

well regarded and well treated

right up until the end. We do have

comfort in the fact that his passing

was peaceful and painless.

God Bless

Final arrangements are still

pending at this time.