06/14/2009
Louise Virginia Snodgrass, 66

JUNE 28, 1942-JUNE 12, 2009

MIDDLETOWN, Md. — Mrs. Louise Virginia Snodgrass, 66, formerly of Middletown and a well-known local politician, died Friday, June 12 ,2009, at her home in Dover, Del.

She was the loving wife of Franklin P. “Frank” Snodgrass III.

She was born June 28, 1942, in Baltimore, and was the daughter of Peter F. Kramer, 93, of Parkville, Md., and the late Mary Frances Gelwicks Kramer, who died Thursday, June 11, 2009.

Louise worked for more than 25 years in the dental field and became very active as a past president of the Maryland Dental Assistants Association and as an elected trustee.

She became the first female mayor of Middletown and held that office from 1988 until 1994, when she was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, District 3, of Frederick and Washington counties, until 2002. While she was in office, she worked very hard and was involved with many committees and served on many boards. She was the first chairwoman of the Frederick County delegation to Annapolis, served on the Frederick County Republican Central Committee and was co-founder of the Maryland Mayors Association.

During her career, she received many awards, including the Maryland Municipal League-Outstanding Legislator of the Year 1995 and 2001, and the award for Support of MML Priorities, 1996 to 2002. She was honored with the Maryland’s 100 Outstanding Women Award in 2001 and the Maryland Rural Water Association 1999 Friend of Rural Water Award, which now is called the Louise V. Snodgrass Award.

Mrs. Snodgrass was a life member of the Middletown Historical Society, and also a member of the Frederick County Republican Men’s Club, the Republican Women’s Club of Frederick County, the Washington County Republican Club, co-chairman of the 1998 National Race for the Cure for Western Maryland, a spokesperson for Y-Me of the Cumberland Valley in 1999, and was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the Komen Foundation. She was very dedicated to breast cancer awareness.

She was a co-founding member of Holy Catholic Community Church in Middletown and had attended Holy Cross Catholic Church in Dover.

In addition to her husband and father, she is survived by her two loving children, Anne L. Snodgrass of Baltimore, and Mark P. Snodgrass and wife, Debra, of Sharpsburg; one brother, Donald Kramer of New Freedom, Pa.; and three nephews, Donald, Chris and Alex Kramer. She also will be remembered by her aunts, uncles and cousins, and a host of many good friends.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, June 17, 2009, from 4 to 6 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Holy Family Catholic Community Church, 7321 Burkittsville Road, Middletown. A wake service will be held Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the church.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Thursday, June 18, 2009, at 10 a.m. at the church, with Father J. Kevin Farmer as celebrant. Interment will be in Resthaven Memorial Gardens, Frederick.

Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Middletown Valley Historical Society, P.O. Box 294, Middletown, MD 21769; Y-Me of the Cumberland Valley Breast Cancer Organization, 324 E. Antietam St., Hagerstown, MD 21740-5754; or University of Maryland, Marlene and Stewart Greenbaum Cancer Center, 22 S. Greene St., Baltimore, MD 21201.

Arrangements are by Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 E. Church St., Frederick. Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.keeneybasford.com.

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