Walter 'Wally' Snipes

Walter "Wally" Snipes went to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 25, 2004, in Coeur d'Alene.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 29, 2004, at Coffelt's Moon Chapel with Pastor Jim Osman from Kootenai Community Church officiating. Following the services, his remains will be spread from the docks at the Snipes' home as he requested.

Wally was born on April 12, 1931, in Ojai, Calif. He went to work for General Telephone Company when he graduated from high school. He later joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served his country in Korea, where he received several medals. When he was honorably discharged, he returned to his position at GTE.

Through company programs, he went on to earn his bachelor's degree in engineering from no less than three prestigious universities and became a state board registered engineer. he then advanced to an upper management position and worked for GTE for 30 yeas until he retired.

He lost his first wife, Mary Ellen Snipes, and later married his second wife, Dale Snipes and moved to Sandpoint in 1989, where he fulfilled a life-long dream to design and build his own home. Wally spent over a year perfecting the blueprints.

Wally and Dale did a lot of work on their home in Kootenai, on Lake Pend Oreille, themselves as well, all the landscaping and gardening. They later wrote three books together about the area, the fishing and the lake. The books were successful and can be found in the library and museum, as they are a part of the lake's history with photos and stories of the great fish caught over 50 years.

Wally was a member of the Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club and served behind the scenes, volunteering for many projects and fund-raisers to help protect the lake and fisheries. He loved fishing and gardening and the wildlife that came to their door for handouts. He always said he never needed to go anywhere else on vacation because he already lived where everyone else comes to vacation.

He is survived by his wife, Dale Snipes of Kootenai; his daughters, Debra Wilson of Riverside, Calif., Keren Center of Hemet, Calif., and Lisa Rodriguez of Oxnard, Calif.; his seven grandchildren, Ian Center, Aaron Waddell, Amber Rodriguez, Justin Wilson, Emily Center, Richard Rodriguez and Nathan Center; five great-grandchildren; his extended family, Diana McDowell, Carolyn Abbott, Debby Wanner, Rick Snipes, Jerry Snipes and Tom Snipes; eight grandchildren, Marika and Marcia McDowell, Beth, Monica and Samantha Abbott, Chris Wanner, Jeffery Snipes and Jamey Snipes; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Alvin and Eugene.

Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.