Saratoga News

Obituary

Rev. Earl Sneary

The Rev. Earl D. Sneary, a former headmaster at Saint Andrew's School in Saratoga, died Nov. 30 at the age of 79 in Moraga, where he had been residing.

Born Oct. 21, 1918, in Pond Creek, Okla., Father Sneary grew up in rural Scranton, Kan. He was a graduate of Baker University and the Boston University School of Theology. He was ordained to the Methodist Church ministry in 1943 and became an Episcopal priest in 1975.

The same year he was ordained, Father Sneary joined the U.S. Navy as a chaplain. During World War II, he served with the Fourth Marine Division, participating in all of that force's major landings in the Pacific. After the war, Father Sneary served as a hospital chaplain, a naval aviation chaplain and ship's chaplain aboard various aircraft carriers and cruisers. He held duty assignments in Boston, San Francisco, Hawaii and Pensacola and also served during the Vietnam War.

Father Sneary retired from the Navy in 1973 with the rank of captain, after serving his final duty assignment with the Marines at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif. After retiring, he held the position of assistant headmaster for three years at St. Mark's school in Downey, Calif. In 1977, he became headmaster at Saint Andrew's School, where he served until he retired in June 1989.

Survivors include wife Vicky of Moraga; son David Sneary of Moraga; daughter Martha Sorvari of Michigan; and two grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. at Saint Andrew's Church.

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