07/23/2011
Gordon Raymond Snow was born on March 12, 1964 at Albia, Iowa. He was the only child
born to Herbert and Eloise (Trautman) Snow.
He grew up on the family farm south
of Knoxville, Iowa, near the town of Pershing. A lifelong performer, G.R. began
singing and composing from the age of five and has been a pianist since age seven.
G.R. graduated from Knoxville High School with the class of 1982.
G.R. obtained
a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion and music from Illinois Wesleyan University,
and has a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from the American Conservatory
of Music.
He has served multiple denominations and has been a certified lay speaker
in the United Methodist Church. G.R. has directed children’s and adult choirs in
his twenty years as choir director/organist, premiering his own composition in 1992.
He has sung with the Dupage Opera Company, Da Corneto Opera Company and the Grant
Park Symphony chorus. G.R. had performed with many groups, including the Chatham
Choral Ensemble as a soloist. He accompanied them on their European tour.
He was
the Director of Music at Hickory Hills Presbyterian Church in since 1999, senior
artistic director of the Northwest Indiana Youth Chorus and artistic director of
the Greater Chicago Opera Guild. G.R. was an alumnus of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a
national men’s music fraternity.
Gordon passed away on July 23, 2011, at the University
Hospital in Newark, NJ at the age of 47 years, 4 months and 11 days.
Those left
to honor his memory include his mother, Eloise Snow, his special friend, Alan Hayes,
both of Chicago, and many cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father,
Herb Snow. G.R. had many interests outside of his faithful service to the Lord through
music. He enjoyed reading and writing, cooking, traveling, genealogy, animals and
episodes of old TV shows. G.R. will be sorely missed by those whose life he touched through his many gifts.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, July 28, 2011 at
11:00 a.m. Zion United Methodist Church, Pershing, Iowa Interment will follow in
the Zion Cemetery
Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral on Thursday at
the church.