Eileen Evonne Snider was born on June 17, 1940, in Worth County, Iowa, the daughter of John & Olga (Groe) Liljedahl of Northwood, Iowa, and resided in St. Francis County, Ark., until her death on Feb. 23, 2024. She was 100% Norwegian.
Eileen started her grade school education in a one-room, one-teacher, country school house two miles north of their farm home. After graduating from 8th grade, she completed her high school education at Northwood, Iowa, in 1958. Her parents sent her to Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa, where she graduated with a teaching certificate. These certificates were renewable each year by taking college credit courses applicable to their degree at a certificated college. She earned credits by attending the University of Colorado, The State Teachers College of Iowa, and North Missouri State. She also took classes at EACC. She earned enough credits for a teaching degree but not enough from the same college. She also worked at Measurement Research Corp. in Iowa City, Iowa, grading college placement tests in 1966. Eileen also taught school in Creston, Iowa, Columbus, Ga., and Forrest City, Ark. Georgia required all teachers to have a degree. Columbus, Ga., needed a kindergarten teacher for 40 army children at a location separate from the regular school location. They made an exception for Eileen!
Eileen grew up a member of the Lutheran Church. She continued her faith through lifelong service at the Faith Lutheran Church in Forrest City, Ark. Eileen was a member of the Pink Ladies Hospital Auxiliary, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), an usher at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tenn., as well as the Fine Arts Center at EACC.
Eileen started teaching 1st grade in 1960 at New Hampton, Iowa. She became friends with another elementary teacher, Kay, who had married Gary Snider’s older brother. Kay introduced Eileen to Gary March of 1963. By November of 1963, Gary asked Eileen to marry him after being drafted into the Army. Events like draft notices sometimes have a way of clarifying the course of one’s life, in this case for the better. The wedding took place on June 13, 1964, and lasted until her death. Gary and Eileen had three sons starting with Monte, born Dec. 31, 1968; Kemp, born Sept. 4, 1973, and Rocky, born Dec. 7, 1978. All her sons were gifts from God as they never planned to have them five years apart or all on special dates. They brought them much joy over the years, even though at times they had to be parents!
Eileen and Gary’s sons, wives, and grandchildren: Monte Snider (Kirkland, Wash.) divorced from Heather (Gentry) and has one daughter, Stella; Kemp Snider (Mill Creek, Wash.) married Simone (Tannert), and has one son, Sebastian; Rocky Snider (Bothell, Wash.) married Samantha (Thomas), and has two sons, Christian and Colton. Eileen has two surviving siblings, Ila Hebel, 95, of Manly, Iowa; Orin Liljedahl of Mesa, Ariz.; nieces, nephews, and cousins both in the U.S. and Norway who are too numerous to mention.
Eileen and Gary’s four grandchildren are Sebastian Snider, Christian Snider, Stella Snider, and Colton Snider whom she loved very much.
Eileen was preceded in death by her parents, John and Olga Liljedahl; two brothers, Arden and Marlin Liljedahl; and one sister, Crystal.
Eileen’s body will be cremated and interned at Kendall Cemetery in Kendall, Mo. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
Cross County Funeral Service & Crematory is honored to assist the Snider family with arrangements for Eileen.
