Helen Viola Snodgrass

Helen Viola (McAlexander) Snodgrass, 93, passed away Sunday, July 27, 2014, at Ottawa Retirement Village. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, July 31, 2014, at Richmond Cemetery, Richmond, Kansas Friends may pay their respects to Mrs. Snodgrass from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, July 30, 2014, at Dengel & Son Mortuary. Helen was born Thursday, August 12, 1920, in Mayetta, Kansas, the daughter of Caples Frederick and Helen Naomi (Reynolds) McAlexander. She has lived in Ottawa since 1996, moving here from Vassar where she lived from 1985 to 1996. She lived in Overland Park in the mid-seventies and previously lived in Topeka. She attended Seaman High School, Topeka, with the class of 1937. Helen married Bill Wenthe January 29, 1937, in Topeka, Kansas. They later divorced. She married Marion Snodgrass December 2, 1962 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He preceded her in death on December 3, 1989. She was also preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Earnest, Otis and Charles McAlexander; and sister, Mary Messenger-Fretz. Survivors include her daughter, Carolyn Wenthe Blake; grandchildren, Bill Blake of Ottawa, Joe Blake and wife Dottie of Garnett, and Linda (Blake) Price and husband Ed of Huntsville, Utah; great grandchildren, Elizabeth (Blake) Alcantara and husband Bogar of Alexandria, Virginia, Jesse Blake of Garnett, Sheldon Price and wife Shaylee of Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, and Austin and Leslie Price of Utah; and great-great granddaughter, Natalie Alcantara of Virginia. She was a bookkeeper for many businesses in Ottawa, Topeka and Kansas City, eventually working and retiring from the Social Security Department, as an auditor. Helen was proud of her three brothers who served during WWII and her granddaughter, great granddaughter, and great grandson who are currently serving in the military. She enjoyed camping, fishing and water skiing, especially with her three grandchildren who she taught to ski. The family suggests memorial contributions to United Service Organization-Ft. Riley c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. An online Guest Book is available at www.dengelmortuary.com.