George Snell

George Clarence Snell, 86, of San Antonio, Texas, died from complications of cancer on 18 September 2024.

George was born on 23 October 1937, at his grandfather's farm during a severe rainstorm which caused flooding, in Jessup Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania to Paul and Iva Snell (now Hitchcock). He attended Fairdale Grade School and graduated from Rush High School in 1955. George joined the Air Force on 13 January 1956, and elected to do his Basic Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, rather than at Great Lakes Naval Station in Chicago, IL, to avoid the cold weather. After Basic Training, George went to Gunter AFB in Montgomery, Alabama for Medical training then to Great Lakes for further medical training prior to reporting to Pease AFB in New Hampshire, then known as Portsmouth Air Station. He was the first enlisted Medic assigned to the Clinic and received further training for para-rescue with the helicopter unit. He met his future wife, Aline Daigle, at a dance in Berwick, Maine. George and Aline were married on 23 August 1958, and their first Daughter, Cynthia, was born at the Portsmouth US Naval Hospital in 1959. George was assigned to the Air Force Academy Cadet Clinic in June 1960 as a Medical Tech and Survival Instructor for the Cadets. Their son, Keith, was born at the Fort Carson US Army hospital in 1960 and their daughter, Chryllyn, was born at the USAF Academy Hospital in 1963. In December 1964, George was assigned to Misawa AB Japan as a Med Tech with additional duty with the Rescue Unit. While at Misawa AB, George was deployed to Kunsan AB Korea in response to the Pueblo Incident. Upon return to Misawa AB, orders were waiting for an assignment to Vietnam. George and Aline's youngest daughter, Colleen, was born at the Misawa AB Hospital in 1968 and the family's departure from Japan was delayed because of Colleen's recent birth and an 8.3 magnitude earthquake. George spent 1968-1969 in Vietnam flying fifty-four rescue missions. Upon completion of the Vietnam assignment, George was assigned to the Air Force Clinic at Los Angles Air Station and attached to the Coast Guard as a Flight Instructor and Flight Examiner during their conversion of aircraft. During all these assignments George had been taking College courses and while at Los Angles Air Station he applied for Bootstrap and Officer Training School (OTS) and was accepted. He went to Park College in Missouri for his degree and attended OTS and was Commissioned as an Officer in the Air Force in 1971. As an Officer, George had assignments at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, Texas for eighteen months, Rhein Main AB in Germany for four years in Aeromedical Evacuation, Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas for seven years as Registrar School of Health Care Science, and Scott AFB in Belleville, Illinois for four years as Aeromedical Evac Advisor to all the Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Aeromedical Units. He served sixteen years as an Enlisted Airman and 16 1/2 years as a Commissioned Officer in the Air Force, all with distinction.

Upon retirement from the Air Force, George spent ten years as the Director of Disaster Services with the American Red Cross in San Antonio, Texas in which he responded to numerous national disasters. After retiring from the Red Cross, George and Aline moved to Port Aransas, Texas where both George and Aline were very involved with St Joseph Catholic Church for twenty years. They spent every summer enjoying their RV travels throughout the fifty United States as well as Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia. George and Aline moved to an Air Force Retirement Village in San Antonio, Texas at the end of 2020.

George was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Snell and Iva Hitchcock; his stepfather, LaVern Hitchcock; his twin siblings, Wilbert Hitchcock and Wilma Severcool; and his brother, Kenneth Hitchcock.

George is survived by Aline, his wife of sixty-six years; his four children, Cynthia Osborn (Mark), Keith Snell (Rebecca), Chryllyn Dums (Paul), Colleen Cummings; his nine grandchildren, Matthew Osborn (Jessica), Deborah Osborn, Sarah Osborn, Evan Snell, McKenzie Snell, Cory Dums (Morgan), Chris Dums (Bianca), CJ Flournoy (Anthony), McCarty Cummings; his 14 great-grandchildren, Pepper Osborn, Scottie Osborn, Maclaren Osborn, Jule Osborn, Kip Dums, Korbin Dums, Kallen Dums, Hank Lavicka, Huck Lavicka, Charlie Ceja, Grey Dums, Ben Flournoy, Prudence Flournoy, Winifred Flournoy; his sisters, MaryAnn Webster, Gwen Warner, Gloria Mosier (Ed); his brother, Thomas Hitchcock (Julie); as well as many nieces and nephews who were very special to him.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Blue Skies of Texas Chapel, 5100 John D. Ryan Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78245 on Friday, 18 October 2024 at 11:00 a.m. A Graveside Service with Military Honors will follow at 1:15 p.m. at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio, TX, 78209.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests donations be made in George's name to St Joseph Catholic Church, 100 N Station St, Port Aransas, TX 78373, the American Red Cross of San Antonio, TX, 3642 East Houston, San Antonio, TX 78219, or Blue Skies of Texas Hospice, 5100 John D. Ryan Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78245.