William W. Snell Jr

It is with heavy hearts we mourn the death of William W. Snell Jr. (Bill) of Toms River N.J. today, May 11th, 2023.
The son of the late William W. Snell Sr. and Ellen Blair Snell, he was born in Williamsport, Pa. on July 3, 1932. Bill was a graduate of Williamsport High School and Williamsport area community college now Penn College. Upon graduation he was drafted into the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth N.J. where he met the love of his life, Ethel West. Bill was deployed to Korea two weeks after the they were married ultimately receiving an honorable discharge for his service.
Bill became employed at the Bell Labs Holmdel N.J. Crawford Hill site where he had many patents. One of his proudest achievements was being part of a team of engineers on a project called "The Big Bounce." His team in NJ worked with another team in California sending up an aluminum balloon filled with helium into space seeing if a signal could be bounced back to California. Hence, the birth of today's cell phone.
He enjoyed being an amateur radio license operator in his spare time with a unique call sign WA2UFO.
Bill is survived by two sons William W., Snell III (Bill) and his wife Patricia of Woodstock, Ga,
Kevin Lee Snell and Laura of Toms River, N.J. Bill is also survived by his sister Margaret Shearer of Hughesville, Pa., four grandchildren Deborah Leigh Snell, Kimberly Beth Montana, Kevin Lee Snell and Cody Snell of N.J. along with six great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Bill and Ethel will be interned together at the Veteran's Cemetery in Toms River, N.J.
The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and all who compassionately kept our dad comfortable and for their support given to son, Kevin.
Silverton Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of private arrangements.