Lester Snowbarger
Lester Snowbarger
Lester Snowbarger
August 29, 1923 – May 29, 2012
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Visitation: will begin at 10 a.m., Friday morning, June 01, 2012 at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel. The family will be present from 5 – 7 p.m. to greet visitors.
Funeral Service: 11 a.m., Saturday morning, June 02, 2012 at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel with Honorable Randy DeGeest officiating.
Interment: Forest Cemetery.
Red passed away unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon at Mahaska Health Partnership in Oskaloosa at the age of 88 years and 9 months.
Lester “Red” Dean Snowbarger, son of Albert Harrison and Nellie Pearl Seamster Snowbarger, was born August 29, 1923 in Wyaconda, Missouri. The family lived in Lancaster, MO before moving to Ottumwa, where Red was a 1941 graduate of Ottumwa High School. As a youngster, Red delivered telegraphs around Ottumwa on his bicycle and during the 1940’s, he played the lead trumpet in a swing band. Following his education, Red went to work for Hardsocg Manufacturing, a pneumatic tool company in Ottumwa. His responsibility was machining parts for the tank turrets for the tanks used in WWII. Red remained at Hardsocg Mfg. until 1959, when he moved to Oskaloosa and helped co-found Oskaloosa Engineering and Manufacturing Company. He continued in his ownership and management of the company until his retirement. Red married Helen L. Warnock in 1947 in Ottumwa and to this union two children were born. They later divorced. Red married JoAnn Duben Foster February 22, 1980 at Kent Chapel at Central United Methodist Church. Red and JoAnn enjoyed the time they spent with family and especially attending their many grandchildren’s concerts and sporting events. Following Red’s retirement, they spent many wonderful years traveling, playing golf, and wintering in Mesa, Arizona. They cherished their many friends both in Oskaloosa and in Mesa. They moved to Maple Ridge Assisted Living in 2008. Red’s individual passions were golf, bridge, crossword puzzles and pool. One of Red’s finest golf moments was a hole-in-one on Number Seven at Edmundson golf course. Forty-Seven years later, he and his son Ron were playing golf on Father’s Day – Ron duplicated his hole-in-one on the same hole. Red also enjoyed many fishing trips to Minnesota catching walleyes and northerns. Red was a member of Central United Methodist Church, several bridge groups, the Elk’s Club and Edmundson Golf Course.
Red is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Joyce and Dr. Lee Wymore of Oskaloosa, their children Dr. Meghan Wymore Brand and Jonathan Brand, of Ames, IA, Mathew Wymore, of Madison, WI; son and daughter-in-law, Ron and Carol Snowbarger of Oskaloosa, their children Jennifer and Mike Comfort, of Oskaloosa, Elizabeth and Cory McBurney , daughter Kate of Cedar, IA, and Jessica and Brandon Graham of Oskaloosa; step-son and step-daughter-in-law, Stephen and Rosanne Foster, of Traer, IA and Rome Italy, their children Dr. Luke and Sarah Foster, daughters Mary Rose and Clara of Hopkins, MN, Jill and Matt Oliver, daughter Madden of Milo, IA, and Mark and Sara Foster of Boise, ID; step-son and step-daughter-in-law, Michael and Ginny Foster of Oskaloosa, their children Rebecca and Jay Bock, son Ezra of Winterset, IA, Kristen and Chris Fink, of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Michelle and Nathan Lahner, son Jackson of Ankeny, IA, Daniel and Amanda Foster, daughter Norah, of Memphis, TN, Timothy Foster, of Oskaloosa.
In addition to his parents, Red was preceded in death by his wife JoAnn on February 6, 2012, and his brother Harold and sisters Rilla May Hinebaugh and Evelyn Murlene Axthelm.
Memorials may be made to the Activity Department at Maple Ridge Assisted Living.
