From Europe to Mid-America

Home Search Login  
Share Print Bookmark
Col. William Noel Snouffer

Col. William Noel Snouffer

Male 1913 - 1989  (75 years)

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name William Noel Snouffer  [1, 2, 3, 4] 
    Prefix Col. 
    Born 30 Nov 1913  Cedar Rapids, Linn Cnty, IA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 5, 6] 
    Christened 21 Jun 1914  First Lutheran Ch, Cedar Rapids, IA Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    Gender Male 
    Military Service U.S. Army - 10 yrs, including WW II;
    U.S. Air Force - 10 yrs, including Korean War  
    Occupation Construction - Harvard Univ. Manager of Operations 
    Occupation Engineer - Electrical; U.S. military career officer 
    Died 5 Nov 1989  Dallas, Dallas Cnty, TX Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5, 8] 
    Buried 8 Dec 1989  U.S. Military Academy Cemetery, West Point, NY Find all individuals with events at this location  [8, 9] 
    Person ID I1  SnoufferCampbell
    Last Modified 28 Apr 2018 

    Father William Dietrich Snouffer,   b. 5 Apr 1884, Cedar Rapids, Linn Cnty, IA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Dec 1935, Cedar Rapids, Linn Cnty, IA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 51 years) 
    Mother Bertha Ina Newens,   b. 30 Dec 1884, Tipton, Cedar Cnty, IA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Oct 1981, Cedar Rapids, Linn Cnty, IA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 96 years) 
    Married 19 Jun 1907  Cedar Rapids, Linn Cnty, IA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 6, 10, 11] 
    Family ID F2  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Florence Corinne Campbell,   b. 19 May 1913, Yorkville, Kendall Cnty, IL Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 9 May 1983, Chapel Hill, Orange Cnty, NC Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years) 
    Married 28 May 1938  Yorkville, Kendall Cnty, IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 5, 9, 12] 
    Children 
     1. Hon. William Campbell Snouffer,   b. 14 Oct 1939, Ft.Monmouth, Oceanport, NJ Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     2. Noel Snouffer,   b. 22 May 1941, Aurora, IL Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Aug 2018, Columbus, Franklin Cnty, OH Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years)
     3. Anne Snouffer,   b. 29 Jul 1942, Yorkville, Kendall Cnty, IL Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 76 years)
     4. Richard Kent Snouffer,   b. 10 Aug 1944, Hammer Field Hosp, Fresno Cnty, CA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years)
     5. Mary Snouffer,   b. 11 Jun 1946, Washington, D.C. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Aug 2002, St. Louis Park, MN Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 56 years)
    Last Modified 5 Dec 2009 
    Family ID F1  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Nedra M. Arendts,   b. 9 Jan 1914, Cedar Rapids, Linn Cnty, IA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Nov 2012, Santa Monica, Los Angeles Cnty, CA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 98 years) 
    Married 23 Jun 1984  Dallas, TX Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 13] 
    Last Modified 16 Jun 2013 
    Family ID F1120  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    William Noel Snouffer    		William Noel Snouffer
    William Noel Snouffer    		William Noel Snouffer
    Courtesy of the Assembly, pp. 151-152 (1991)
    William Noel Snouffer    		William Noel Snouffer
    Photo abt 1955, probably taken in Hawaii, on return to USA from tours of duty in Korea and Japan
    <i>L</i>: William N. Snouffer; <i>R</i>: Robert N. Snouffer     		L: William N. Snouffer; R: Robert N. Snouffer

    Headstones
    William Noel Snouffer    		William Noel Snouffer
    Photo by Richard K. Snouffer (Nov 2006)

  • Notes 
    • The 1920 Iowa census reports that the Snouffer family was living in Anamosa, Jones County. William, 6, lived with his father William, 35, mother Bertha, 35, sister Blanche, 11, and brother Robert, 8. 1920 U.S. Census, 4th Wd, Anamosa, Jones Cnty, IA (T 625, Roll 495, stamped p. 277).

      The 1930 census lists "William M" Snouffer as a 16 year old boy, born in Iowa, and living with his parents and grandmother in Cedar Rapids. 1930 U.S. Census, Cedar Rapids, Linn Cnty, IA (T 626, Roll 665, stamped p. 106B).

      The Coe College Cosmo [Cedar Rapids, IA], p. 1 (4 May 1933), reported:
      "William Snouffer was elected president of the newly formed Coenses club at the meeting held last night in the Little Theatre. At the same time Donald MacKay was elected vice-president; Paul Niles, secretary; and Howard Johnston, treasurer.
      "Professor C. Ward Macy spoke on the aims of the organization and urged the promotion of campus social functions, student assistance in job finding, and a closer contact between the men students and the faculty members by means of open forums."

      Cedar Rapids Gazette (?) (31 Jan 1936):
      "Mrs. Francis E. Nelson of Rahway, N.J., and her daughter, Barbara Blanche, left Friday afternoon [31 Jan] for their home. They were called here by the death of Mrs. Nelson's father, the late W. D. Snouffer, Dec. 11. William Snouffer, a student at the United States military academy at West Point, N.Y., who was here for a short time, returned earlier."

      Capt. William Snouffer, U.S. Army Signal Corps, is listed in the Official Army Register, p. 812 (U.S. Gov. Printing Office, Washington, D.C.; 1942).

      Snouffer earned his M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL, which was awarded 19 Jun 1948. See The Graduate College Commencement Program, p. 15, at: http://www.archive.org/stream/commencementprog1948univ/commencementprog1948univ_djvu.txt, or at: http://www.onread.com/book/Commencement-program-1948-372251

      In Nov. 1952 the Urbana [IL] Courier contained a story that Col. & Mrs. Snouffer had taken up residence in Urbana. See https://urbanafreelibrary.org/local-history-genealogy/archives-special-collections/ . She enrolled in the Univ. of Illinois to study for her masters degree in mathematics while he was stationed in Korea during the Korean War.

      Cedar Rapids [IA] Gazette, p. 3 (5 Sep 1955), reported:
      "Col. William N. Snouffer has taken over duties as commander of the 3380th Technical Training group at Keesler AFB, Miss, having arrived at the Biloxi base from duty with the Fifth air force in the Far East where he had served as director of communications.
      "*** A native of Cedar Rapids and the son of Mrs. C. A. Kent, 1511 D avenue NE, Col. Snouffer was graduated from the United States Military academy in 1937 and commissioned in the signal corps....
      "Assigned to Alaskan duty from 1941 to 1943, Col. Snouffer was in charge of developing the Aircraft Warning service for the Alaskan theater of operations, being responsible for the installation of the first radar in that territory.
      "Upon his return from Alaska, he served on the West Coast in air defense work before going on a short tour of duty at Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
      "Following his Washington assignment, Col. Snouffer attended the University of Illinois for graduate training in electronics engineering, receiving his master's degree in 1948. He was then transferred to Sandia base, N.M. for a three-year tour of duty.
      " *** Col. Snouffer is married to the former Corine [sic] Campbell of Yorkville, Ill....
      "Mrs. Snouffer, who is a teacher, is serving in that capacity full time at the Mary Michel junior high school in Biloxi.
      "With his extensive background in communications and electronics, Col. Snouffer combines this knowledge with a favorite hobby, having been an amateur radio operator for the last 17 years."

      The Lexington [MA] Minuteman (Jan. 20, 1972):
      "W. SNOUFFER NAMED TO POST AT HARVARD -- William Murphy, director of Buildings and Grounds, at Harvard University announces appointment of William N. Snouffer of Lexington as Manager of Operations for the department -- the first step in a planned reorgnization of the $20 million 'business' of maintaining Harvard's 240 buildings ....
      "Snouffer, who joined the department in 1969 after 12 years in industry, will direct a group of superintendents ....
      "Snouffer's wife Corinne teaches mathematics at Lexington High School...
      "Snouffer's more than three decades in engineering included a variety of difficult construction and mangement assignments in the Air Force and in industry.***
      "In industry, he did engineering for Sylvania Electric Products and for Itek Corporation, where he worked in project management and administrative assignments.
      "He joined the Harvard staff in 1969, serving first as Project Supervisor of Peabody Museum Addition. Since last spring, he has been assistant director of Buildings and Grounds for Financial Affairs and has supervised budget and fiscal affairs.
      "He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Nov. 30, 1913, and attended Coe College and the U.S. Military Academy, where he received the B.S. degree in Engineering in 1937. Later, he studied for two years at the University of Illinois, receiving the M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering in 1948."

      On 1 Nov 1977 The U.S. Patent Office issued Snouffer Patent number 4056474 for a self-cleaning straining valve.

      The Chapel Hill [NC] Newspaper (May, 1983):
      "SNOUFFER TO HEAD PROJECT -- William N. Snouffer of Chapel Hill has joined the Equity Retirement Housing organization as Director of Construction Services for the Carolina Meadows project, a 500 unit planned retirement development in Chatham County. ***
      "... Before coming to Chapel Hill, he was Manager of Operations, Department of Buildings and Grounds for Harvard University. *** "Snouffer has been a resident of Chapel Hill since 1976. He is a member of the Chapel Hill Country Club and the Kiwanis Club. *** "

      Obituary, vol. 48, ASSEMBLY, pp. 151-52 (Association of Graduates, USMA, West Point, NY; Jan. 1991):
      "William Noel Snouffer was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on 30 November 1913, the son of William D. and Bertha Newens Snouffer. He attended schools in Cedar Rapids, including two years at Coe College.
      "Bill selected the Signal Corps on graduation [from West Point] and his first assignment was the 51st Signal Battalion at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; followed by the Signal Corps School, 1939; and then the Aircraft Warning Service of Alaska, which he commanded when World War II broke out. He made the original site surveys for the first radar stations in Alaska and played a leading role in the establishment of the entire system. Alaska was followed by assignments on the West Coast for the aircraft warning service. In 1945 he was assigned to the Continental Air Command, forerunner of the Strategic Air Command.
      "From 1946-48 Bill attended the University of Illinois and received a master's degree in electronics. His next assignment was with the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Sandia Base, New Mexico, 1948-51. After a year in the Air Training Command he served as the Director of Communications and Electronics for the Fifth Air Foce in Korea in 1952 [and 1953], and in Japan from 1954-55. Returning to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi in 1955, he commanded the Electronics School. He retired from the USAF in 1957 in the grade of colonel.
      "In civilian life Bill worked for Itek Corporation, Lexington, Massachusetts for about ten years, Harvard University for seven years, and was president of Carolina Meadows, a retirement community near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He retired from that position in 1985.
      "A year after [his 1937] graduation Bill married Corinne (Cornie) Campbell from Yorkville, Illinois, a classmate at Coe College. They were the parents of five children: Judge William C. Snouffer, Portland, Oregon; Noel Vertrees, Worthington, Ohio; Anne Cochran, Houston Texas; Richard K. Snouffer, El Segundo, California; and Mary Larson, Minnetonka, Minnesota; and they were the happy grandparents of nine grandchildren. Bill and Cornie, who died in 1983, were very proud of their children and their accomplishments. Each received advanced college degrees and enjoyed successful careers. In 1984 Bill married Nedra Arendts Niles of Dallas, Texas, also a classmate from Coe College....
      "Bill was a devoted family man and carried that love for people to all of his commands. He cared for his men and their welfare, as a priority before perfection in operations. He lived by the motto of West Point -- Duty, Honor, Country -- and brought happiness to many people. His memorial service was held ... in Dallas, Texas on 7 November 1989 and burial was in the Post Cemetery at West Point, New York on 8 December 1989." See: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=snouffer&GSfn=william+&GSmn=noel&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=16742938&df=all&

  • Sources 
    1. [S2] Bertha Newens|, Bertha Ina (Newens) Snouffer, "Newens & Snouffer Family Records", (Bertha Ina (Newens) Snouffer; unpublished charts; created abt 1960; revised abt 1970; original charts possessed by Wm.C.Snouffer).

    2. [S42] Jewell - Snouffers|, Carol Snouffer Jewell, "Snouffer, Schnauffer, Newens of Germany, IA, 1523-1997" (Nov 1999), (Family Tree Maker, "World Family Tree," CD-ROM database (vol. 54, tree 2400), Cambridge, MA; The Learning Company, Inc. : 2000).

    3. [S292] Cathy Campbell |, Mary Cathleen Campbell Knopp, "Campbell/Croushorn/Nuss/Dann Family", (Mary Knopp, Rochester, MN; Online database, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/659527/listofallpeople).

    4. [S37] Ancestry Tree - Mann|, James D. Hug, "Mann_2011-12-09", (Ancestry.com, Public Member Tree, Online database, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/33020986/listofallpeople).

    5. [S3] Personal |, Person Named, Spouse, or close Relative or Friend.

    6. [S6] IA Census 1930, Cedar Rapids|, Iowa, Linn Cnty, Cedar Rapids, 1930 U.S. Census, (The National Archives, Washington, D.C.), (T626, Roll 665, ED 47, p. 2B).

    7. [S69] Cedar Rapids Lutheran|, "Church Records", (First Lutheran Church, 1000 Third Ave, SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, 52403).

    8. [S40] Obituary|, Anonymous, "Obituary".

    9. [S103] FindaGrave|, FindaGrave.com, (www.FindAGrave.com), 16742938 .

    10. [S5] Cedar Rapids Gazette|, Cedar Rapids Gazette, (Cedar Rapids, IA), 28 Oct 1981.

    11. [S7] Cem - Linwood, Cedar Rapids, IA|, Genealogical Soc'y of Linn Cnty, IA, "Linn County, Iowa Cemeteries, Linwood, Cedar Rapids", (Genealogical Society of Linn Cnty, IA, PO Box 175, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406 : 2001), p. 52.

    12. [S4] Hastings|, D. Gale Hastings, "Family History Chart", (D. Gale Hastings : 12 Nov 1995).

    13. [S235] TX Marriages, Texas Dep't of Health Services, "Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2011", (Bureau of Vital Statistics, Texas Dep't of Health, PO Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711, Online database, Texas, Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2011, http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8795 ).