Dorothy Lee Hurst Sneed, 97, passed away Wednesday, July 16, at her home surrounded by her family. A graveside service honoring her life will be held at Colbert Memorial Gardens on Friday, September 18, at 10:00 A.M.
Dorothy was born August 20, 1929, in Moulton, Alabama. She was the fourth of ten children of her parents, Claude Huey Hurst and Clara Panola Simpson Hurst. On June 23, 1946, she and Edward Elton Sneed, Sr., eloped to Tupelo, Mississippi, to begin a marriage that lasted more than 66 years and ended with the death of Edward in January of 2013. They had two children, Edward Elton, Jr., and Dorothy Dianne.
Dorothy started college at Florence State Teachers’ College (now the University of North Alabama) in the summer of 1952. For two and a half years, Edward, Dorothy, Elton, and Dianne lived in one of the converted army barracks in what was affectionately known as “Bunker Hill,” the married students’ housing on the campus of FSTC. In May of 1955, Dorothy graduated with Highest Honors. After her graduation the Sneeds moved to Leighton where they lived for the next 55 years.
Dorothy began her teaching career at Colbert County High School and continued teaching in the Leighton community for the next 30 years. After retiring, she and Edward traveled the world and spent every possible moment with their family, especially their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who called her Grandmother Dot. She and Edward were loyal supporters of Colbert County Indians athletic teams and the University of North Alabama football.
Dorothy and Edward were faithful members of the Leighton Church of Christ for over 55 years. Dorothy taught Sunday and Wednesday night children’s Bible classes and participated in the church’s ladies’ Bible classes. In 2006, she and Edward moved to Park Place in Sheffield and became members of the Annapolis Avenue Church of Christ. The most enduring gift Dorothy passed along to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren was her love of Jesus Christ and her steadfast belief that as a faithful Christian she would spend eternity with Him and His Father in heaven. She served as an amazing example of love and grace.
In 2011, she and Edward moved into the Sheffield home of their daughter and son-in-law where they lived for the remainder of their lives.
Dorothy was a faithful member for 68 years of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary women teachers’ sorority. She also belonged to the Leighton Civic Club and the Chief Colbert Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Elton Sneed, Sr.; her son, Edward Elton Sneed, Jr. and his wife Diane; her grandson, William Lloyd McCormack Jr.; her parents, Claude Huey and Clara Panola Simpson Hurst; her sisters and their husbands, Clara Jean Hurst, Mattie Haygood and her husband Charles, Betty Roberson and her husband Vernon, Ann Brooks and her husband Connie, Marion Harris; her brothers, Dr. Claude Hurst and Dr. Frank Hurst and his wife Hilda; her brother-in-law, Garnet Hardeman, and sister-in-law, Patricia Hurst.
Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Dianne and son-in-law, MAJ (ret) James L. Glass of Sheffield; her grandsons, William Jason McCormack Glass and his wife Charlene of Lexington, KY, Thomas Henry Sneed and his wife Tabitha of Tuscumbia, James Edward Glass and his fianceé Samatha Marsh of Topeka, KS, and her granddaughters, Melissa June Sneed of Florence and Dr. Clara Elizabeth Glass Long and her husband COL (ret) Brad Long of Pike Road, AL. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, SSgt Evan Woodis and his wife Kesley of Seoul, Korea, Samuel Glass (Peyton) of Lexington, KY, Will Long of Huntsville, Clara Long Hibbard and her husband Connor of Birmingham, Abigail Sneed, Thomas Henry Sneed, Hannah Sneed, and Gabriel Sneed of Tuscumbia, Gia Glass of Topeka, KS, Rylee and Aubrey Price of Topeka, KS, Jayden and Wyatt Marsh of Topeka, KS, and two great-great granddaughters, Elizabeth Woodis and Olivia Glass.
In addition, she is survived by her sister, Mary Hardeman of Moulton; brother, Lawrence Hurst of Tallahassee, FL; sister-in-law, Frieda Hurst of Mt. Vernon, IL; and brother-in-law, Rayburn Harris of Moulton. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to one of the three charities that she faithfully supported: North Alabama Christian Children’s Home, P.O. Box 2652, Florence, AL 35630; Food Bank of North Alabama, 225 Finney Dr., Huntsville, AL 35824; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
