Wayne Albert Snow

Wayne Albert Snow, 83, of Ottawa, KS passed away Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at AdventHealth Ottawa.  He was born August 9, 1940, to Albert Lester and Jessie Snow in Cherokee County, Kansas.  When he was 6 months old, the family moved to Blackwell, Oklahoma.  This is where he attended Blackwell schools and graduated from Blackwell High School in 1959.  Blackwell is where his career began in the newspaper industry starting as a paperboy, working his way up to an apprenticeship in the press room at Blackwell Journal World.  He moved to Ottawa, KS in 1962 after accepting a job as press foreman at the Ottawa Herald, where he worked until his retirement in 2000 after 37 years of service.

He married Leah Fay Spencer of Ottawa, Kansas on August 21, 1970, at the First Presbyterian Church of Ottawa.  They were married for 53 years.

Wayne was an avid fisherman, and he loved fishing the local lakes, especially for catfish.  Lonestar Lake was his favorite.  He also enjoyed occasional trips to Branson, MO to trout fish, among numerous other places he travelled to fish.  He was a member of the Ottawa Elks Lodge 803 for 31 years, where you could often find him playing cards with his buddies.  In his spare time, he liked to keep a well-kept yard, as well as gardening.  He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. 

Wayne is survived by his wife, Leah Snow, of Ottawa, KS; his son, Robert Sparks and wife, Anita Haynes, of Carthage, MO; his daughter, Jackie Schulz and husband, R. Justin Schulz, of Ottawa, KS; one sister, Aletha Orcutt and husband, Ted Orcutt, of Ponca City, OK; four grandchildren, Donald Sparks and wife, Danielle Sparks, of Ottawa, KS, Crystal Sparks of Pawhuska, OK, and McKenna Schulz and Jacelyn Schulz of Ottawa, KS; two great-grandsons, Ethan Lickert of Pawhuska, OK, and Fenix Sparks of Ottawa, KS; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Albert Snow and Jessie Hardy Snow; his brother, Larry Snow; and his sister-in-law, Norma Snow.

Graveside funeral services will be 1:00 p.m., Monday, September 25, 2023 at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, KS.  To celebrate Wayne’s life, a visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, September 24, 2023 at Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, 325 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS 66067.  Memorial contributions may be made to Prairie Paws Animal Shelter and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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