Phillip H. Snodgress, age 84, passed away on January 4, 2021, at the Decatur County Memorial Hospital. He was born in Kennard, Indiana on February 18, 1936, to J. Howard Snodgress and Dorothy (Bailey) Snodgress.
Phil graduated from Kennard High School where he played basketball, baseball and ran track. After high school, he worked as a draftsman for 7 years at Perfect Circle in New Castle, Indiana, and began attending Ball State University where he played baseball for 4 years and earned his Master’s Degree in Education.
After college, Phil played semi-professional baseball and then began his teaching and coaching career at Blue River Valley in Henry County, Indiana. He coached baseball and basketball and taught math and driver’s education there. Phil then moved his teaching and coaching career to Liberty High School in Liberty, Indiana, which later became known as Union County High School, where he was the athletic director, basketball coach, baseball coach and taught math and driver’s education.
Phil made his final career move to Greensburg Community High school in 1976. He coached junior varsity baseball and varsity basketball and taught math and driver’s education until his retirement in 1998. Retirement didn’t keep Phil from the hardwood though. He coached 8th grade boys basketball at the Greensburg Junior High for 7 years after his official retirement.
Phil was a member of the First Christian Church where he was a deacon. He was also a member of the Ball State Cardinal Varsity Club, named a Ball State Coach of the Year, President of the Indiana Basketball Coach’s Association, EIAC Coach of the Year several years, and he was in the Union County Basketball Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the Greensburg Country Club and enjoyed playing golf after his retirement from education.
He loved his students and his athletes and got great pride from watching so many in their own coaching endeavors and in their lives in general.
Phil married Nancy (Hardgrove) Snodgress, whom he always called “babe”, on August 23, 1969, and she survives. He is also survived by son, Bret Smith (Gretchen Lutes), daughter, Beth Stanley (Mike Bruno), and daughter Kelli (Scott) Ferguson, all of Greensburg, and a son, Doug Snodgress (Nitsa Potter) of Warsaw, Indiana. Phil and Nancy have 14 grandchildren. Jay Smith, Megan Smith, Alex Smith and Jessilyn Smith, Erika (Patrick) Maschino, Kyle Stanley, Jenna Schutte, Kenzie Ferguson, Kyla (Nick) Kaufmann, Brandon (Brittany) Snodgress, Camron Snodgress, Spencer Snodgress, Sarah Justice and Bryce Justice. He is also survived by a sister, Myrna (Doug) Reeves.
Phil was preceded in death by his parents as well as 2 sisters, Norma Beavers and Judy Thurman, a daughter, Debbie Farrell, and a granddaughter, Renatta Dailey.
A private funeral service for the family will be held at the Porter-Oliger-Pearson Funeral Home in Greensburg with Jon Porter officiating and will be broadcast on the funeral home Facebook page on Friday, January 8, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be held in the South Park Cemetery. The family requests memorials be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Online condolences can be made to the family at www.popfuneralhome.com