Dr. Carl R. Snellgrove, 83, of Pelham, died May 22, 2016 at his home surrounded by his children and caregivers. A memorial service will be held on May 26, 2016 at 11:00 AM at the First Baptist Church of Pelham, 231 Primitive Ave, SW in Pelham, Ga.
He was born in Moultrie, Georgia on December 28, 1932 to the late Elmer Carl Snellgrove and the late Berta Lee Carroll Snellgrove. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Walters Snellgrove. He is survived by his three sons, Michael and his wife Teresa of Huntsville, Alabama, Steven and his wife Amelia of Pelham, Georgia, Glenn and his wife Lauren of Huntsville, Alabama, and his daughter Diane and her husband Bill Smith of Moultrie, Georgia. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Justin Snellgrove, Nick Snellgrove and his wife Amanda Smith Snellgrove, James Snellgrove, Julia Smith, Caroline Snellgrove, Diana Snellgrove, Celia Smith, and Robert Snellgrove. He also has one great-granddaughter, Lilith Snellgrove. In addition, he is survived by a sister, Patty Downs of Jacksonville, Florida and a brother, James Snellgrove of Atlanta.
He grew up in Moultrie and graduated from Moultrie High School in 1950. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1952. After completion of basic training in Kentucky and advanced technical training in Massachusetts he was assigned to an Army Security Agency classified listening station in West Germany and charged with intercepting coded radio transmissions emanating from the Soviet Union and the Eastern Block of Europe. He was honorably discharged in 1955.
His sister, Patty, drove to the train station in Nahunta, Georgia to pick him up and drive him home when he returned from Europe. She brought along a friend, Betty Jean Walters. They began a courtship. Meanwhile, Ray applied for and was accepted to the Lincoln Chiropractic College in Indianapolis, Indiana and began his studies there in the Fall of 1956. He and Betty became engaged and married December 26, 1956. After graduation in 1959, the couple lived briefly in Albany, Georgia where the couple's first child, Michael, was born in January, 1960. They later moved to Atlanta where their second child, Steven was born. The family relocated one final time in 1963 when Ray began his practice in Pelham. Over the next four years, the couple had two other children; Glenn and Diane.
Ray was an involved citizen within the community. He was a member of the Pelham First Baptist Church. He served on the City Board of Education for many years as a member and later Chairman. He was also a long time member of the Pelham Civitan Club. In August of 2013, he was recognized as a Medallion Member by the club having served actively for 50 years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name, to the Pelham Civitan Club.
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