David Earl Snoddy died on July 15, 2017. He was born in Lauderdale County on July 7, 1935 to the late Felix John and Velma Daly Snoddy. The youngest of five siblings, he attended grade and high school in Rogersville, AL graduating from Lauderdale County High School in 1953.
David entered Alabama Polytechnic University (Auburn University) as a freshman in the summer quarter of 1953. In his sophomore year, David entered the cooperative agreement program and worked alternating quarters with the Guided Development Mission Directorate (GMDD) at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL. Upon his graduation, he received a commission in the Army Corps of Engineers. With the commission he received an obligation of six months of active duty at Fort Belvoir, VA.
After separation from the Army in June 1959, he returned to GMDD as a mechanical engineering and became a full time government employee. As the space race escalated and NASA was formed, David became a charter member of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in 1960. He worked in different capacities of mechanical design and structural testing, including Test Engineer for the Shuttle External Tanks, and the Intertank component of the External Tank before retiring from the government with more than forty years in January 1998. Following his government service, David worked for Qualis for ten years. He was a licensed Professional Engineer, the recipient of the NASA Silver Snoopy Award and received numerous Group Achievement Awards.
David is survived by his wife of 56 years, Bonnie S. Snoddy of Athens, AL; two children, Monica S. Hammond (John Matthew) of Huntsville, AL and Dr. Brian David Snoddy (Christina) of Birmingham, AL; five grandchildren – Patrick Rohrer Hammond, Olivia Daly Hammond, Allswell Eli Hammond, John David Snoddy and Kristina Taylor Snoddy; two brothers Harry Snoddy (Jeraldine) of Rogersville, AL and Lowell Snoddy (Reba) of Huntsville, AL; one sister Alta Barnett of Rogersville, AL. Another sister, Robbie Nugent, preceded him in death.
David was a member of Central Church of Christ, Athens, AL where he served as an Elder for eight years. He was a former president of the Limestone County Auburn Club Foundation.
Visitation will be at Limestone Chapel, Athens, AL, Sunday, July 16, 2017, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. Graveside services will be at 4:00 PM at Roselawn Cemetery, Athens, AL.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hospice of Limestone County. The family would like to thank Hospice and his caregivers for their love, special care and support over David’s extended illness.
