Charlene Davis Snoddy

Charlene Davis Snoddy, 97, passed away quietly on Friday, February 3, 2023, at Brookview in Farmville, Virginia with family at her side. She was born on September 25, 1925 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1938, the family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee where she graduated from Isaac Litton High School. Upon graduation, in 1943, she found employment as a stenographer at Berry Field Air Force Station where she first met her husband-to-be, John R. Snoddy, Jr. (“Jack”). In 1945 he was transferred to an Air Force facility in California and Charlene followed him to the West Coast where they were married. Upon his transfer to Wake Island, at war’s end, she returned to Nashville until his discharge in 1946.

The couple then returned to his home state of Virginia and lived in Charlottesville while he attended UVA’s School of Law. While in Charlottesville, Charlene worked for the American Red Cross at the UVA Hospital. Upon Jack’s graduation from law school in 1949, the young couple, and their first born (“Bobby”), returned to Jack’s hometown, Dillwyn, where he established his law practice for which Charlene served as his secretary, stenographer and administrative assistant until 1966. During this period a daughter (“Pat”) and a second son (“Bryan”) were born.

After her early retirement from the law office in 1966, Charlene was able to fully devote her life to her family, church (“White Hall UMC) and community. Her three children all became college graduates, married and raised families of their own. She was an active member at her church as a choir member and the Christmas Pageant director. Once her children had established their own families, she was able to dedicate her life to community enrichment and betterment.

Among her varied community involvements, she was: a charter, lifetime member of Historic Buckingham, Inc.; a charter member and officer in the Buckingham County Woman’s Club; a member and officer in the Dillwyn Garden Club; program editor for the annual Buckingham County Day sponsored by the Buckingham County Lions Club; member of the Ladies Auxiliary for the Dillwyn Unit, Buckingham County Volunteer Fire Department; and, art teacher in the “Gifted and Talented” Program of the Buckingham County Public Schools. A talented artist in her own right, some of her most prized accomplishments in the community were: co-founder, member, director and officer for the Buckingham County Arts Council, Inc., (“BCAC”); leader of BCAC’s efforts to acquire a long-term lease for, and then renovate the former Buckingham Primary School into the Buckingham County Arts Center; being the moving force behind BCAC’s exhibits, plays, music and dance classes and, the very popular Arts Camp; and, individual recipient in 2005 of the Annual Community Achievement in the Arts Award given by the Longwood University Center for the Visual Arts. This award was accompanied by the following commendation statement, “Charlene Snoddy has been the driving force in bringing the arts to people of all ages in Buckingham County”.

Charlene was preceded in death by: her mother, Lorena T. Davis; her father, Clyde M Davis; her husband of fifty-one years, John R. Snoddy, Jr.; her sister, Bobbie D. Alley; her brothers, Milburn C. Davis and Austin G. Davis; and , her daughter, Patrice S. Wall.

She is survived by: her brother, Howard C. Davis; her sister, Joan E. Davis; her sons, J. Robert Snoddy, III (Melanie) and Bryan S. Snoddy (Melody); her son-in-law, C. Whitfield Wall; her grandchildren, John R. Snoddy, IV (Lindsay), Anne S. Hairfield (Scott), Bryan Scott Snoddy, II (Alison), Annie S. Ramsay (John), Alexandra T. Stewart (Will), C. Whitfield Wall, Jr., (Katherine), and Claire W. Hill (Landon); and, eighteen loving great grandchildren. 

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution to a favorite charity would be appreciated.