Community mourns loss of former delegate
Originally published June 13, 2009
 

By Meg Tully

Community mourns loss of former delegate

Louise V. Snodgrass was known for her love of Middletown and other municipalities, and her dedication to helping people in any way she could.

Snodgrass, 66, died Thursday night. She was a former member of the House of Delegates and the first woman burgess of Middletown.

"She was about serving the people," said her daughter, Anne Snodgrass. "It was always about making government more open for people, being able to do what she could to help them."

She remembers that when her mother was burgess, the phone would ring in the middle of the night. Snodgrass would go help Middletown residents, even if it was 2 or 3 in the morning.

Snodgrass, a Republican, represented Frederick and Washington counties from 1995 to 2003 and was chairwoman of the Frederick County Delegation from 2000 to 2003.

She was burgess of Middletown from 1988 to 1994. She was living in Delaware at the time of her death.

In the House of Delegates, Snodgrass led the charge to pass a bill designating the South Mountain battlefield as the first state battlefield.

She even wore a Civil War costume to the bill signing, a move that showed her fun side, said Delegate Sue Hecht.

Hecht, a Democrat, served for eight years with Snodgrass in the General Assembly. She remembers marching with her colleague in the Middletown Parade, and Snodgrass would wear sequined hats and fancy shoes.

"She was a great public servant," Hecht said. "She was one of the biggest advocates for issues surrounding municipalities."

Snodgrass was twice recognized by the Maryland Municipal League with its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.

"The entire Maryland Municipal League family is saddened to learn of the news of Delegate Snodgrass' passing," said league executive director Scott Hancock. "She was, during her years in the General Assembly, a tireless advocate for municipal government interests."

Before she became involved in politics, Snodgrass was a dental assistant for more than 25 years.

She started getting involved in politics by going to Washington to talk about changes in dental regulations and to push for patient safety measures and physician certifications, her daughter said.

She was married to her husband, Frank Snodgrass, for 46 years and was a fun mother, Anne Snodgrass recalled.

"Her smile was contagious, and her humor was like no other," Anne Snodgrass said. "She had a great sense of humor."

Only months after a personal experience with breast cancer in 1995, Snodgrass testified to raise awareness for a bill to stop "drive-through" mastectomies and raised awareness of breast cancer.

Sen. David Brinkley, a Republican, said that he remembers the way she loved her community. They saw eye-to-eye on most issues, but Snodgrass was willing to fight for the things they didn't agree on, he said.

"I think Louise took a very independent path on issues, and she advocated very forcefully on issues she supported, and those she opposed, she fought them," he said.

He remembered her fighting hard for the South Mountain designation and Dr. Lamar's Sanitarium in Middletown. During her tenure in politics, Snodgrass was honored by the Maryland Rural Water Association, the Civil War Medical Museum and the Central Maryland Heritage League, among other organizations.

"She got the most out of 66 years of anyone I knew," her daughter said.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be made this weekend.
 

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