Delores Del Rio Gaymon Snell

Delores Del Rio Gaymon Snell 1934 - 2012 Resident of Hayward, CA Delores "Dee" Del Rio Gaymon Snell passed away unexpectedly on January 4, 2012. She was born on April 17, 1934 in Winston Salem, NC to the late Betty Gaymon and Frank Greene and was raised by her aunt and uncle, Lula Mae Burgess and William Burgess, Sr. She married William Snell II in 1955 and from this union Sidnee and William III (Tre') were born. She moved to Hayward, California in the summer of 1963 arriving in a green Volkswagen Beetle. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her aunt and uncle, her son, and her brother, William Burgess, Jr. Delores graduated from Chabot Community College (Associate in Arts Degree), California State University East Bay (Bachelor of Arts Degree and Teaching Credential), and the College of Saint Thomas (Masters of Fine Arts). Delores was employed as an art teacher by the Long Beach Unified School District. She also sold insurance through Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. In addition, she created a line of artistic products and marketed them through her company, Wee B Nappi. She was a devoted teacher, artist, free-lance model, and philanthropist. She loved travel, books, theater, humanitarian causes, fund-raising, and her little dog, Brandy. She was a member of Grant AME Church in Los Angeles, Brookins AME Church in Oakland (where she was instrumental in starting the food program), and attended South Bay Community Church in Fremont. She was a dedicated member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., the Queen Jean Book Club, the Hayward Arts Council, the Aids Ministry of Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, and the annual Hayward Martin Luther King Celebration Committee. She participated in weekly sewing and knitting groups in Hayward. Delores leaves to cherish her memory a daughter, Sidnee Snell; son-in-law, Alan Petersen; grandson, Marshall Petersen; granddaughter, Alex Snell; sister-in-law, Delores Burgess; nephews, William and Michael Burgess and a host of caring friends and neighbors. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, January 24th at 11:00 am at Brookins AME Church (Rev. Mark Smith), 2201 73rd Ave., Oakand. (At 10:30 am, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc will perform the Delta Omega Omega Ceremony at the same location.) In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the AIDS Ministry, Allen Temple Baptist Church (Att. Gloria Cox Cowell), 8501 International Blvd., Oakland, CA 94621.