James DeWitt Snow, III, 1952-2000

  James DeWitt Snow, III was born on January 12, 1952, in Suffolk, Virginia. He married Laura Jean Brandt on August 23, 1975, at Annandale United Methodist Church. They had three children, Joshua, Jordan, and Bonna. The writer was privileged to perform the ceremony and later to baptize the three children. It was my honor to serve as his mentor. He graduated from Warrick High School in 1970, and received a B.A. degree from Elon College in 1974, and Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 1977. He was ordained a deacon in 1975 and ordained an elder in full connection in 1978.

  He served the following churches First Church, Broadway and St. James Church in the Harrisonburg District; Asbury Church in the Richmond District; Scott Memorial Church in the Norfolk District; and Sterling Church in the Alexandria District.

  Jim was an avid reader and prepared his sermons well. His fist love was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even in declining health, he preached three times on Sunday morning. He lived under the banner, "To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill oh may all my power engage, to do my Master’s will."

  Survivors include his wife, Laura Jean, a public school teacher in Louden County; two sons, Joshua, a junior at Virginia Wesleyan College, and Jordan, a freshman at University of Tennessee; one daughter, Bonna, a junior at Park View High School; his parents, James D. Snow Jr. and Betty Virginia Joyner Snow of Lee Hall, Virginia; and one brother, Barton Mitchell Snow of Yorktown, Virginia. Over 1,000 persons attended the funeral service on April 17, 2000, at Sterling United Methodist Church. Services was conducted by the Rev. William E. Knight, Dr. Lee B. Sheaffer, and the Rev. Alan G. Reifsnyder.

— William E. Knight