John Donald Snelling

John Donald Snelling, a life long resident of Springfield, Ohio, passed away on February 8, 2012,   John was born on June 22, 1923.  He is survived by his two daughters, Donna Kaye Badger (Larry Badger) of Trafalgar, Indiana and Karen Maxine Williamson (Michael Williamson), of Nashville, Tennessee.  Grandchildren, Brent Badger (Teresa) of Columbus, Ohio; Lori Duggan (Stacey) of Bloomington, Indiana; Michael Williamson, Jr., (Juhee) of Austin, Texas and Erin Buck (Chandler) Nashville, Tennessee.  Great-grandchildren Morgan and Mackenzie Badger, Columbus, Ohio and Brayden and Bowen Buck, Nashville, Tennessee.  His brother, Gene Snelling of Dayton, Ohio and Helen Shackelford, Springfield, Ohio, his friend and companion of many years. He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Clara Jo Ledford Snelling, who passed away March 18, 2003 and his son Joel Alan Snelling who passed away December 15, 1993.   Also preceded  in death by his Mother, Elizabeth and his sisters Lottie Peck and Hazel Smith. John or JD as he was known to many of his family and friends was a life long resident of Springfield and knew a great deal about its history.  Having grown up in the Depression Era he knew what it was to work hard.  He had a shoeshine stand and a newspaper route at a very young age and at age 16 enlisted in the Federal CCC Program where he was sent to Nevada to work.    He always said this was a great time in his life.  He also enlisted in the Youth Corp of Springfield and helped build the air hangers at the Springfield Airport.John was a veteran of WWII and while serving in the Army in Macon, Georgia, he met and married Clara Jo Ledford Snelling in 1945.  Upon his discharge from the Army they moved to Springfield to build their home.  This was the year that John applied for work at the International Harvester Plant.  He said he applied in the A.M. and went to work that day on the 3:30 P.M. Shift.    He had so many memories of the International.  They didn’t have a car when he started to work so he would walk to and from the plant up Belmont Ave. to their home on Mound St.  as the streetcars did not run at night.  When he did get a car he remembers the parking lot being so full at the plant that he would have to crawl out of his window to get out of his car.  John was a very skilled body “ding” man at the IH and worked at International until his retirement on June 30, 1981. His family remembers John as an avid gardener and fisherman.  He loved to go mushroom hunting in the spring and treasurer hunting with his metal detector.  He was a man who could repair or build anything and always kept his homes and lawns immaculate. He will always be missed by his family and friends. Visitation will be Friday, February 10, 2012 from 5 to 7 P.M.  in the RICHARDS, RAFF & DUNBAR MEMORIAL HOME, where funeral services will be held Saturday at 10:30 A.M. with Pastor Scott Griswold officiating.  Burial to follow in Ferncliff Cemetery.  Expressions of sympathy made be made at www.richardsraffanddunbar.com.