Stevensville – Rodney Wayne Snook passed away peacefully with his family by his side after a brief battle with cancer on August 9, 2021. He was 71. Born January 2, 1950 in Lewistown, MT to parents Emre William Snook and Louise Caroline Fields Snook Newton. He moved to Missoula in 1962 and attended Hellgate High School. He worked at various jobs until he and his brothers started Snook Brothers Drywall, where he continued until his retirement. One of the highlights of his life was when he came to love the Bible, getting baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1975. He met the love of his life in 1976, Jan Crist, marrying her in her parents’ back yard June 4,1977. This union brought them two beautiful children, Megan and Cody.
They lived in many places but the most enjoyable was spent in a family farm house in Stevensville, from 1988 until now.
Jan: To my handsome husband of 44 years. Words cannot express the loss of your presence and how I feel. I have such beautiful memories of your engaging smile and those eyes which drew me to you in the first place. Your love of Jehovah God and his creations, gardening and the room you especially built for me, which is such a work of art! The way you laughed when you were with your brothers! You were such a good provider, husband and father, always telling all of us you loved us. You had a noncommittal answer when you were asked a question you didn’t want to answer saying, “I have no opinion.” How you loved keeping bees and making currant jam from our bushes. You can’t cover our years of marriage in a few words but, I love you with all my heart. I will be so happy to hug you in the New System!
Cody: I’m at a loss for words, but no words can describe how much my father was loved.
Fern: I’ll miss my son. I always called him my son. He always called me Mom. He used to come over almost every morning. He walked like a 20 year old up the path. He came over to watch our Bible lessons too.
Megan: Dad, you told me when I was a little girl that our family life was going to be just like Little House on the Prairie and it was. Thank you for a childhood of joy and icy windows, camping trips and their stories, long walks through tall trees, “ letting” us “help” lamb during blizzards and raise a variety of livestock. Because of you and Mom, your kids love books, learning, music, building and gardening. We’ve been up at midnight with paper bags and flashlights rescuing green tomatoes from the first hard frost and sat next to you in lawn chairs laughing, picking currants and contemplating life. I appreciate very much that you didn’t get (too) annoyed that year I planted 32 tomato plants and a tomatillo that alone took up five square feet. Twinkling eyes, a keen sense of dry humor, strong hands and a good heart. You always said, “It’s hard being a human being.” It is. Thank you for being a good one and loving us.
Ron: I love you Rod. You were a great big brother! It’s a huge loss.
Sandy: Rod was the one who was most like my dad. He always made you feel good just by being around him. You knew he loved you in that quiet way he had. I think we were a lot alike, never expecting anything or wanting much but being satisfied with what we had. Accepting life as it came to us. He told me what was most important to him was that his children knew he loved them and they did know because he showed them in everything they did.
Kent: I love you Rod! See you soon.
Rod is survived by his wife Jan, son Cody, and daughter Megan (Nate Miller and sons Adrik and Isaac.) His siblings include Kent (Gayle), Gary (Kathy), Ron (Stacey), Sandy Powell (Gary), as well as Sherry Fragnito and many nieces and nephews. Rod’s extended family includes Jan’s mom, Fern Crist, brother Morgan Crist (Melissa) and son Joshua and sister Kimm Crouch and son Dustin Atkins. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.