Barry D. Snover

Barry David Snover was born to Delmar Lee and Elva Marie Snover at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, November 4, 1948, in Station Hospital, at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. Four days later the Snover family, which included sister, Sondra and brother, Michael, were on their way home to the central part of Iowa where eventually younger sister, Vicki, and brother, Robert (Bob) were born. Barry spent the majority of his young life living in the Des Moines area.

He was baptized in the Fort Des Moines Methodist Church on January 22, 1956. When Barry was ten years old tragedy struck the Snover family when his father, Delmar, died from a heart attack leaving the family without an older male influence. Because Barry loved playing softball, he played on his church team throughout high school which helped him grow to be independent.

Barry graduated from Lincoln High School in 1966 and attended Grandview College in Des Moines, Iowa the fall semester of 1966. There he met Christy Rodine who would become his wife in the future. On June 27, 1968, Barry enlisted in the US Army and took ground Controlled Approach Radar Repair courses and Instructor Training courses. In May 1969 he graduated with honors. He was stationed at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey as instructor from June 1969-May 1970. On December 27, 1969, Barry married Christy and by December 30, 1969, they were driving to Long Branch, New Jersey to start their life together and finish his hitch in the Army. But wait! Barry received orders to go to Viet Nam to repair Weather Avoidance Radar equipment. So in late May 1970, the newlyweds were driving back to Des Moines, Iowa, Christy to stay with her parents again and Barry to ship off to Viet Nam on June 16, 1970. On October 27, 1970, Barry was selected as the 34th Group Soldier of the Month, for the month of September 1970, from over 5,000 enlisted personnel eligible for the award. He received an Army Commendation Medal for it. Barry returned from Viet Nam on May 7, 1971.

Once back in the states, Barry and Christy bought a new mobile home and lived in it for two years. They even bought a second mobile home and tried their hands at being landlords, but that wasn’t pleasant so the second mobile home was sold. In 1973 Barry had a ranch home built on Wilmers Avenue in Des Moines, moved into it in November 1973, and lived there for 34 years. A year later in November of 1974, Barry’s position with Genco Distributing allowed him and his wife to go on a trip to Australia and Hong Kong when the boss of Genco could not go at the last minute. Then the following year in November 1975 Barry’s daughter, Jill was born. So three memorable Novembers in a row.

Barry had some educational money from the government after his hitch in the service. He chose to use it on flying lessons because he truly wished he could have been a pilot like his father. Barry did obtain his private pilot’s license on January 19, 1981, but when the education money was finished then the cost was too much to keep going. At least he achieved his goal.

Barry has had two successful businesses in his career. One was Sound Advise which was an electronics retail store in Boone, Iowa, which he had for about 15 years. While in Boone, Barry was active with the Boone Chamber of Commerce for several years and served as President in 1987. The other was Q Home Services, Inc., a handyman service company in business from 1990-2016. He had a lot of repeat business because Barry was always on time, knew what he was doing and did it well, plus always clean up afterwards. The newspaper did a nice article about handyman companies and featured Barry’s business in it. Barry also took the Iowa Realtor’s courses just to have the knowledge of being able to sell a home.

Barry is survived by his wife, Christy Snover; his daughter, Jill Maclaren; his grandson, Tyler Maclaren; his granddaughter, Anna Maclaren; his sister, Vicki Purcell and brother, Robert Snover.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Sondra Broer, and brother Michael Snover.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa with funeral services following at 11:00 a.m. Burial will take place after the service at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Des Moines Police Officers Burial Fund, Blank Children’s Hospital, Alzheimer’s Association or Wounded Warrior Project in loving memory of Barry.

Condolences of sympathy to the family may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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