Willis Snowbarger needs our prayers

[Paul Whitaker]

From: Marion Snowbarger <msnowbar@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:09:56 -0700 (PDT)
To: Wayne and Nila Murrow <murrow@cox.net>


It's hard to describe Willis' condition. The infection persists & is likely spreading. He is still totally unresponsive. Now the doctors say there is nothing more they can do and we should consider hospice care since there is no hope for his recovery. His children, Vince & Delia, have been here since Monday. The doctors gave them & Ruby the choice of continuing antibiotics and the feeding tube or removing them. They agreed to remove them today. He is resting well and vital signs are good but, with no possible recovery, it's just a "wait & see" situation. Of course, we pray & believe for a miracle but we do not want him to linger in this pathetic conditon.



Please pray especially for Ruby, Delia & Vince. Thank you so much for your continued calls & prayers.



Marion

[Gary Swartzlander]

Paul, Thank you for this request, we certainly will remember this family.

One request though is for a brief description of who these folks are and what they mean to either you, us, the denomination or all of the above. It helps to keep folks we pray for in perspective of what happens in our church family.

Thanks.

[Paul Whitaker]

It should first be said that the Snowbarger name and the Snowbarger family have made an extremely larger impact on Nazarene Education and The Church of the Nazarene for many years.

Below are some items I picked from off internet.

================
From college to university

A major milestone for Olivet followed in 1939, when the University of Illinois formally recognized the school. The college catalogs of the 1940s reflected a school of liberal arts, a school of music, a school of religion and a high school academy. In 1953, under the skillful leadership of Dr. Willis Snowbarger, the newly appointed dean, all areas of study were grouped into curricular divisions.

Academics in the 30s and 40s were organized in three schools: liberal arts, music, and religion. In 1939, 300 students enrolled at "old" Olivet. By 1947, after World War II, enrollment had risen to 881. Harold W. Reed, elected president in 1949, designed an academic structure of six divisions, which was implemented by Willis Snowbarger, then dean of the college, earning Olivet's North Central accreditation in 1956.

============================

Narrative:
Recreation and competitive athletics are considered an important part of the university experience for our students. This 30-acre section at the east end of the campus brings all of these facilities together in a highly styled and coordinated manner.

Snowbarger Athletic Park includes fields for football, baseball, softball, soccer, and track and field. The park includes Ward Field and Stadium for football, Watson Baseball Field, ten tennis courts, two softball fields, two soccer fields, and four football practice fields. A log cabin "Warming House" (1986) is used for student and community events throughout the year, and an ice rink is located adjacent to the Warming House. Locker room facilities have recently been expanded near the center of the park.

The fields and related structures have been under continual improvement over the last 30 years. The selection of Olivet's facilities for the summer training camp of the Chicago Bears professional football team for the 2002 and 2003 seasons brought additional funds for major improvements, including new sod for most playing and practice fields and facilities to accommodate thousands of guests during the camps. More than 20,000 people attended the first camp in 2002. The improved facilities enhance the recreational and athletic opportunities for Olivet students, faculty, staff, and alumni throughout the year.

Snowbarger Athletic Park was named in 1981 to honor Dr. Willis E. Snowbarger, professor of history from 1949-1986 and academic dean and vice president of the school from 1952-1986.
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I believe this references Willis Snowbarger's mother.

Mary King Snowbarger, Autobiography, edited from interviews conducted by Willis Snowbarger, 1983, Transcript, Nazarene Archives, p.11.
=========================
He was commissioner of the International Board of Education for the Church of the Nazarene
====================

Blurb from Olivet

Academics in the 30s and 40s were organized in three schools: liberal arts, music, and religion. In 1939, 300 students enrolled at "old" Olivet. By 1947, after World War II, enrollment had risen to 881. Harold W. Reed, elected president in 1949, designed an academic structure of six divisions, which was implemented by Willis Snowbarger, then dean of the college, earning Olivet's North Central accreditation in 1956.
=======================
An article he wrote for the Journal

Historian
Volume 19 Issue 4, Pages 361 - 384

Published Online: 23 Aug 2007

©2008 Phi Alpha Theta

Pearl Harbor in Pacific Strategy, 1898–1908
Willis E. Snowbarger*
*Mr. Snowbarger is Chairman of the Department of History at Olivet Nazarene College in Kankakee, Illinois and an alumni member of Chi Chapter, University of California
===================

Two scholarships at ONU in his name:

nowbarger, Dr. Willis E., Scholarship: available to junior or senior History majors completing 15 hours of history, including three upper-division hours; requires overall GPA of 3.25 and history GPA of 3.5; selection to be made by Department of History.

Snowbarger, Willis E. and Wahnona R., Achievement Award: available to needy junior or senior student with 3.0 or greater cumulative GPA.
==================
Dr Snowbarger wrote a biography:

Book details for By the Way

By the Way

By the Way
Author: Willis E. Snowbarger
Format: Paperback
Publish Date: May 2005
ISBN-10: 1420825429
ISBN-13: 9781420825428
List Price: $14.95

[Paul Whitaker]

Another bit concerning his biography:

Willis E. Snowbarger served 28 years as an academic administrator at Olivet Nazarene University. He was denominational Secretary of Education at the headquarters of the Church of the Nazarene for five years. He taught history and international relations over a span of 40 years.



In this book, Dr. Snowbarger tells the story of his upbringing, preparation, and career in higher education. His interest in music, literature, theology, philosophy, psychology, languages, athletics, and finance made it hard to choose a major, but eventually he chose history. What a spread of interests and what a blessing for an academic dean.

The name of persons and places are real. This book was written primarily for family and friends. He was encouraged to believe that a broader audience would find the story interesting. His determination to see things as God sees them results in a positive outlook. God is in the details. He is in the moments of your life.



“There are few things more engaging than the story of a life well lived. By the Way is just such a story. Beginning in the early 1920’s, Willis Snowbarger traces the providential leadership of God in his life from a rural farm in Central Kansas, through college and then on to become a Naval officer, earn a Ph.D. from Berkeley and give himself to a life-time of distinguished service in higher education. His story is filled with life lessons for young and old alike – I couldn’t put it down!”

- John C. Bowling

- Olivet Nazarene University



“Grandpa -- I wanted to thank you for letting me read your memoirs. I felt quite privileged to view them before they come out for the rest of the public. I was happy to learn many of the intimate details from your life and the life of our family. Overall, it is very, very well written. I left many of your idiomatic phrases because they add so much color to the work.”

- Jeffrey Snowbarger

[Gary Swartzlander]

Thank you Paul.

That helps a lot. I realize as I read what you posted that he may well have know my Great Aunt and Uncle L.D. & Florence Lockwood. They were both missionaries and later pastored churches in the Illinois and Indiana area and Aunt Florence lived her later years in Kankakee.

Thanks again for the effort made to put up this information.

[William Hunter]

What a precious man of God he is. He had good spiritual influence in mine and Virginia's lives when we were students at ONC.

[David Molle]

off topic but please do not post email addresses.
anything with an @ in it is a target
for spam bots to pull off of websites.
if you must, post them as myemailadress at somewhere dot com

[Jim Franklin]

Thanks, Paul. Vince was in one of my classes and I certainly will be praying for the Snowbarger family. His brother, Vernon, was our neighbor on Oakridge.

[Edith K. Thurmond]

Thanks, Paul. Vince was in one of my classes and I certainly will be praying for the Snowbarger family. His brother, Vernon, was our neighbor on Oakridge.

Dr. Snowbarger has passed this life and leaves a wonderful legacy and a beautiful wife. He and Ruby were able to spend six good years together and his death was definitely unexpected by everyone. He has many relatives in this area and had moved to a warmer climate from the colder one in IL. Dr. Vernon and his wife, Lois, have been deceased for some time and Dr. Willis moved to the same place where they had lived.

During the last two years, I have been able to spend bits of time with them here and there and found both to be extremely delightful, witty, and younger than their ages verify. It was a delight to witness this couple have a great marriage after having lost former spouses. They enjoyed doing everything together and always looked as if they were "stepping up and stepping out." What a pleasure it was to watch them! :)

Here is some further official information about him:
http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?sid=10005020&id=10006251

Sympathies to Mrs. Snowbarger and the extended families,