James Russell "Jimmy" Snapp

James Russell "Jimmy" Snapp Sr., 78, of Walnut Ridge, died Monday, June 20, 2011 at his home. Born in Jamestown, Arkansas, to Russell Andrew and Grace Looney Snapp, he moved at age one month to Walnut Ridge, where his father was employed at the Ford dealership which later became Snapp Motor Company. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1954 with a B.S. in Business Administration. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Following college, he served for two years of active duty as an officer in the United States Army. He then returned to Walnut Ridge, where he was involved in the family car business until 1998.In 1957, he married the love of his life, Marianne (Anne) Ponder Snapp, who survives him. They have three children: James Russell (Russ) Snapp Jr., of Little Rock; Marianne Snapp Ditto of Hoxie; and Susan Ponder Snapp of Memphis. They also have six grandchildren: Jeremy Tillman of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina; Brennan Weeks of Jonesboro; Jennifer Tillman of Carbondale, Illinois; Jessica Jarrett of Jonesboro; and Alex and Rachael Ditto, both of Hoxie. They have five great-grandchildren. He had a strong sense of religious and civic duty. He was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newport, after being active for many years as a member of First United Methodist Church in Walnut Ridge. He served on the Lawrence County Development Council; the Arkansas Industrial Development Corporation; the Walnut Ridge School Board; the board of First National Bank of Lawrence County; and the board of the regional Ford Dealer Advertising Fund. After retiring from the Ford business, he served for seven years as the Lawrence County Veterans Service Officer. He loved his native Arkansas and its people. He was instrumental in the restoration of the Lawrence County Courthouse at Powhatan. He loved floating Ozark rivers and spending time with his family. He will be sorely missed. A celebration of his life and of the gospel hope will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newport on Friday, June 24, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Mary Craig Caruthers officiating. Burial will follow at Lawrence Memorial Park in Walnut Ridge at 5 p.m. under the direction of House-Gregg Funeral Home of Walnut Ridge. The family will receive visitors at the Parish House of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newport between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m., before the funeral on Friday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Children's Shelter in Walnut Ridge; St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newport; First United Methodist Church in Walnut Ridge; or the Wounded Warriors Fund.