Donald B. Snow Jr., passed away in his sleep on September 2, 2026 at the age of 58, after a characteristically tenacious battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Sonya Snow, his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Snow Balderas, his son-in-law, Aaron Balderas, and his pride-and-joy grandson, Joaquin Aaron Balderas. He also leaves behind his mother, Jeanette Snow; his sister, Anita Snow Bennefield (Kenneth, Alex, Haley, Sarah); and his brothers, Jerry Snow (Tara, Ashlynne, Kyleigh) and Jacque Snow (Meredith, Timothy).
Don grew up in Arab, Alabama in a tightly knit community of friends who remained close to him from grade school through the day he died. Known to many as Dr. Snow, Don had a 30 year career as an educator in Decatur City Schools from 1992-2022. After graduating from Auburn University, he began as a science teacher and Assistant Principal at Oak Park Middle School before serving most of his career as the Principal of Austin High School. He is remembered by his former coworkers, students, and families as having a stern exterior that shielded a very tender heart, and as being tough, principled, fair, and incredibly kind. He was always committed to the worth and potential of people regardless of their status or connections, and in his world, nobody was unimportant. After retiring from education, Don worked as a real estate agent in North Alabama and Tennessee, and he took great pride in supporting families of all income levels to navigate the home-buying process with dignity and respect and in helping many families purchase their first home. He was also an active member of the Decatur Lions Club where he was a past president and a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellowship.
Don loved to hunt and fish with his family and his friends, and carried a depth of love for and knowledge about the natural world. He was a true sportsman and knew that a day on the lake or in the woods could both heal the spirit and feed a family. At the time of this writing we imagine that he is already fishing on the other side with his father, Donald B. Snow Sr., just like they did for so many years together on the Tennessee River.
A celebration of his life and fellowship to follow will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Central Park Baptist Church in Decatur.
In lieu of flowers, donations for a scholarship fund for Austin High School students in his name may be sent to the Decatur Lions Club at P. O. Box 1411, Decatur, AL 35602.
