Charlie Lawrence Snelson
December 11, 1932 – November 27, 2016
CHARLIE LAWRENCE SNELSON was born in Durand, Georgia on December 11, 1932 to loving parents of Newton Glenn Snelson, Sr. and Ida Bell Snelson. He grew up in a Christian family and attended church religiously with his parents. He was baptized at his neighborhood church, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, at an early age. He graduated from Lemon Street High School in Marietta, Georgia. Soon afterwards he was drafted into the United States Army.
After receiving his Honorable Discharge from the Army, he enrolled in Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama using the G.I. Bill. He majored in Electrical Engineering. Due to a lack of funds, he was not able to complete his college education, however, his major steered him into his future job career.
While at Tuskegee, he met and fell in love with his future wife, Kathryn McDowell. They often reflected on when they “first laid eyes on each other in Sunday School at Tuskegee Institute.” They were married in June 1958. Two beautiful children were born to this union, Bonnie and Barnabas. Charlie was a true family man who loved and protected his wife and adored his children.
Charlie and Kathryn eventually moved from Illinois to San Diego, California, where he later joined the Navy. He received his Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy on the first day of June, 1967.
Charlie was employed at South Land Electrical Company, Black Hawk Electric, and Universal Electric throughout his forty-five years as a journeyman electrician.
He and his wife purchased a beautiful home in La Mesa, California where he raised his family and was able to enjoy many hobbies.
Charlie grew up on a farm and raising his own vegetables and gardening was something he always wanted to do. Although the house lot was not very large, he used his creative ingenuity to develop an area in his back yard where he could plant a garden to raise vegetables. He also planted several orange trees which grew to produce many sweet, delicious oranges. He often shared them with friends and neighbors.
Another hobby he enjoyed was photography. He often developed his own pictures from a Yashica 635, Canon, Minolta, and Vivitar. The cameras he used were not the current digital cameras of today. He loved adjusting the settings of his own cameras; for he believed this is how one gets the best pictures.
Charlie was a motorcycle enthusiast and he enjoyed riding his motorcycles with his daughter Bonnie, but Kathryn forbade Charlie taking her baby boy for fear of an accident. He spent countless hours in his garage (man cave) tinkering with his Kawasaki 900 Double Overhead Camshaft, Honda 450, and Honda V45 Sabre. He took pride in crafting a larger seating area which he attached to the back of the current seat of the Kawasaki 900. He was creative in matching the paint and decals on the new extension so one could not detect the original structure.
Charlie had a unique sense of humor and he enjoyed “holding court” telling his jokes with family and friends alike. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of forty-nine years, Kathryn; both of his parents; two brothers, Dock and Roosevelt Snelson.
On Sunday, November 27, 2016, Charlie Lawrence Snelson was called from earthly labor to his eternal home. He affectionately leaves to mourn his passing two loving children, Bonnie and Barnabas Snelson both of La Mesa. CA;, one brother, Newton Snelson, Jr. of Washington, D.C.; two sisters, Rozzi Bell of Washington, D.C., Ira Radden (Edward), of Aldephi, MD, one sister-in-law, Zennie Howard of Warren, MI; two brothers-in-law, Bobby McDowell of Bronx, NY and Reverend Augustus McDowell (Jacqueline) of Goldsboro, N.C. and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, neighbors, and many friends who will mourn his passing.
