Andrew "Jack" Snead

1942 - 2017

Andrew "Jack" Snead, 75, of Blue Springs, Missouri, met his Lord and Savior peacefully on a beautiful Sunday morning, August 13, 2017, at Lee's Summit Pointe after complications from a stroke. He had spent the day before his passing enjoying his family's laughter, stories and music.

Memorial services will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, at Royer's New Salem Funeral Home, 1823 N Blue Mills Rd, Independence, MO 64058; 816-796-8600. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. until service time at the funeral home.

Jack was born February 9, 1942, at the Independence, Mo., Sanitarium and Hospital to Earmal R. Snead and Kathyleen "June" Gibson Snead. He Jack lived in Buckner, Mo., and Levasy, Mo., most of his 75 years until he chose to move to assisted living for several months in Blue Springs. Jack attended Buckner Elementary and graduated from Fort Osage High School. Jack was a born leader and became President of his senior class, a member of the National Honor Society, Camera Club, Student Council, and was voted class treasurer his sophomore year. He also played baseball, football, and worked as office staff. He was chosen to go to Boy's State his junior year and won a speed typing award for number of words typed in one minute without errors at a Missouri state competition.

Jack attended college at Central Missouri State College and was a member of the Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity. He worked for R.V. Hedrick Elevator as a bookkeeper, as well as, Halco Automotive in Kansas City, MO, before being employed at Vendo Corporation in Kansas City as a salesman. After leaving Vendo, he started his own fire and safety business in Buckner. Snead's Safety Sales was his second love only to being a volunteer fireman for the Fort Osage Fire Protection District. Jack was a leader with the Junior Firemen Program, and the EMT/Paramedic programs. He progressed through the ranks all the way up to Chief. He earned the 50 Year Gold Medallion Service award. Jack enjoyed selling fire trucks, fire extinguishers, air packs and other fire safety equipment throughout the region. He enjoyed teaching others how to be great firemen.
Jack was married to Billie Rose Kimbrell of Sibley, Mo., for 32 years. He spent many hours helping the Kimbrell Sisters trio backstage. He and Billie had one daughter, Angie. Jack was a devoted father who enjoyed spending time with his "tomboy" daughter who liked to fish, take karate classes and camp. He was a do-dad for the Camp Fire Girls. Jack enjoyed being an uncle to numerous nieces and nephews on both the Snead and Kimbrell sides of his family. He treated them like his own. Jack had many "adopted" sons and daughters throughout the years who hung out at the fire station, the shop and his home. He often let folks stay in the apartment above the shop when they needed housing. He would like them to know they had a special place in his heart, and he appreciated their help.

Jack's family was extended when he married Laura McGregor of Buckner, whom he was married to over 20 years, until his passing. They also loved to dance and enjoyed playing cards down at Bud's Place.

Jack was preceded in death by his father, Earmal, and mother Kathyleen "June" Snead of Buckner; his first wife, Billie; and his step-son, Billy Don Cash.

He leaves his wife, Laura Snead of Buckner; step-son Chad McGregor and his wife, Wendy, of Grain Valley, Mo.; and Laura's grandchildren: Paige, Logan, Riley, and Mason. He also leaves his devoted daughter Angie Streker and her husband, Richard, of Lee's Summit, Mo.; four grandchildren: Nicole, Race, Kimbrelyn, and Carly; and great-grandson Cameron. He enjoyed hearing his grandkids sing at his bedside and tell him the stories of their many activities. He was very proud of each and every one of them. He also leaves behind his younger brother and devoted caregiver, Jerrold "Jerry" Snead and his wife, Sandi, of Blue Springs, Mo.; and Jerry's children and Sandi's step-children: Sheree Snead of Grain Valley, Jerrold "J.D." Snead Jr. and his wife, Gina, of Blue Springs. Jack leaves his younger sister and biggest prayer warrior, Joy Stokes and her husband, Tom, and their children: Aaron, Nathan, and Sarah of the Springfield-Ozark, Missouri area. In addition, he is leaving numerous nieces, nephews, and extremely close friends all over the world.

He has over 1300 Facebook followers who loved to read his Royals play by plays on his "Buckner, Levasy, Sibley, Fort Osage Area, NEJACOMO, USA" Facebook page. His followers spent numerous hours reading his Eastern Jackson County history lessons. Jack was one of the first business owners to buy a computer in Buckner. He learned very quickly how to write computer programs, and taught his nephew, J.D., everything he knew. His Midi Music friends and members of his MidKar MIDI group communicated with Jack for many years because of his expertise in producing websites dedicated to Midi Music fans throughout the world. He even received several international awards for Midi Music page productions. His music followers have expressed their gratitude for his wisdom and their condolences.

Jack is a saved Christian and was baptized in the United Methodist Church in Buckner. He is also a 3rd degree Master Mason in Buckner Lodge #501, and 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason in Kansas City, Missouri. Jack was an Eagle Boy Scout and member of the Troop #208 of Buckner and a Warrior "Firebuilder" in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say since September 2, 1958, at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation in Osceola, Mo. He loved to fish and canoe. Fishing became a family affair for the early years of his life. He also loved to two-step, line dance, sing, play his guitar and listen to country western classics with his good friends. He enjoyed spending time with his Buckner Chamber of Commerce friends and firefighting friends hanging out at his office in downtown Buckner just drinking a beer on any given late night. Buckner meant the world to Jack. He was especially honored to receive the Buckner Community Impact Award for his contributions to enhancing the acknowledgement of the beautiful little town of Buckner, once named by a local business Ford dealership owner, "The Little Village in the Valley."

He would like to thank his "second daughter" Stacey Montgomery Alexander who was at his side the last days of his life. He wanted to express that it was a blessing to be a father figure to her throughout her life. He would like to thank Dusty Hamilton, his great-niece, for helping him with physical therapy, and Violet Clark, his niece, and Daryl Clark, his nephew, for encouraging him. Thanks to all the visitors during this long fight, his immediate family, greatly loved nieces and nephews, prayer warriors and medical staff. Thanks to those who checked on him at his home in Levasy, including, but not limited to, Jerry, Sheree, J.D., George Cox, Kenny Prichard, Greg Daugherty, Kelly Scott, Weldon Wray Woodward and Abe Kimbrell. Thanks to Richard Streker for giving him the confidence at the end that his daughter, Angie, would be taken care of in his absence. Everyone who met Jack, both in Blue Springs and Lee's Summit, during his retirement home days loved him. He always made them laugh. He had a feisty, yet charming personality. During his final weeks, the staff at Asana Hospice and Lee's Summit Pointe were very compassionate. The family is grateful for their professionalism.

Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Oak Grove, 816-690-4441.