Obituary of Joel Leonard Snell

     October 14, 1939 to December 2, 2024

     Joel has passed peacefully from the arms of his family to the arms of his Creator.  He has left Judy, his loving wife of 61 years, his sons, Tim (Sharon) and Peter (Jenny), and daughter Martha (David).  Also missing his presence are his grandchildren Ethan, Erica, Deserae, Jason, Alex and Elizabeth.

     Joel was born in Potsdam, N.Y. to Murray and Pauline Snell and grew up on the family farm in Marcellus, N.Y.  As a young man, Joel worked in the fence yard in his Father’s cedar fence business.  In 1962, he was drafted into the Army and served as an MP at the Seneca Army Depot for 2 years.  He and Judy were married on November 16, 1963, while Judy was still in nursing school.  In 1964, they moved to Sharbot Lake, Ontario, Canada, where they had their three children.  Joel and his father ran M.D. Snell & Son, which specialized in the manufacture and sale of cedar fence and cedar leaf oil.  The business grew at one point to 40 local employees and was well known in the community.

     After 20 years in Canada, his family returned to the United States, settling in Victor, N.Y.  In search of a new vocation, he trained as a locksmith, hoping this would open different doors.  It worked, and he was a very successful locksmith for 20 years, eventually becoming owner and operator of Advance Safe and Lock in Rochester.  After retiring, he became the “locksmith emeritus”, training and advising other locksmiths, and was known for fixing antique, rare or troublesome locks that required great patience and troubleshooting skills.

     Throughout his adult life, he was a dedicated and devout church member and builder.  He met Judy at his home Nazarene church event in 1961.  He worked with his father to build a new Nazarene church in Camillus, N.Y., where he and Judy would later get married.  He was instrumental in building a new classroom and meeting hall at Parham Free Methodist Church in Parham, Ontario.  On Sunday mornings he often drove the bus, started the oil stove, and then taught Sunday school.  He was a devoted member for 38 years at Edgewood Free Methodist Church in Pittsford, N.Y., where he continued as a Sunday school teacher for many years. He was known to challenge and question church traditions, and served diligently as usher and counting the offerings.  

     He volunteered as a firefighter while in Sharbot Lake and served as Chief for a number of years, having the red “fire” phone installed in the house, which Judy often answered, and rang the village siren to alert the other volunteers.  He and his family built a log cabin with hand hewed logs in the woods north of Sharbot Lake, which is still in use as a hunting camp.  After moving to Victor, he built a large barn-shaped 3-bay garage where he could pursue his passion for mechanical work by restoring old Volvos and repairing various other family members’ and friends' vehicles. 

     When he was no longer able to work on cars, he turned to knifemaking, and outfitted his family and friends with a variety of cooking knives and utensils. Having mastered that, he turned his artist's eye towards woodworking and built many beautiful bowls, cutting boards and tables, which he gave to friends, family and fundraising events.

     He enjoyed travelling but did not like to fly, so he and Judy explored the continent together by car or motorhome. He and the family travelled across Canada from Sharbot Lake to Vancouver, British Columbia in a motorhome pulling motorcycles on a trailer.  Their travels extended to all points of the compass in the United States: Key West, Florida; Eastport, Maine; San Francisco, California; the Arctic Circle, Alaska; and many routes in between. 

     He was always happy and willing to spend time with all his grandchildren, whom he loved dearly.  He loved carving pumpkins, working in the garden or in his workshop with them. When he couldn't spend time with them, he certainly thought about them, asked about them, and prayed for them frequently.

     Joel is predeceased by his parents, brother Paul, and brother-in-law John, and is survived by his sister Mary, brother Luke (Billie) and sister-in-law Joanne, with many nieces and nephews.

     The family is grateful to the members of the Rochester Regional Health E-Health Cardiac team, Palliative and Hospice care teams who were so helpful to them. The family asks that instead of flowers, donations be made to support tree planting and maintenance, and recommends the Eden Reforestation Projects. Memorial service on Sat 12/14 at Edgewood Church (3-4pm) followed by visiting hours and reception (4-6pm). Interment at a later date.