Susan Snelson

Grab your butt and get glad!  Consider:  Susan Cabe Snelson (you probably knew her as “Sue”) who entered eternal life on Saturday, November 30th, 2019.  Her spirit is carried on by her husband of 52 years, Samuel T. Snelson, and her son, Chris.  She is also survived by her sister, Donna Cabe Collins, many in-laws, nieces, nephews, friends and family too numerous to list but not forgotten.  She was born in Haywood County July 2nd, 1949, the eldest daughter of Lon Cabe, Jr. and Marion (Clark) Cabe.  We were blessed to learn many valuable lessons from Sue during her 70 years, among them:  If you are feeling down, go into the bathroom, look in the mirror, grab your butt and get glad – advice passed down to her by her own grandfather, Lon Cabe, Sr.

Also: Education need not be expensive, you can learn anything you want for free by​ visiting a library and reading books.  Sue loved to read and exchange books with friends and family, and advocated donating them so that others might enjoy as well.

Sue loved children:  She believed in Santa Claus and that every child should get a present at Christmas time, no matter how small the gift, no matter whose child.

Never pass up a good sale:  She loved shopping (not buying necessarily, but shopping).  If you see a sign offering 50% or more off, you are obliged to at least take a look. Many of the gifts she gave were found on such explorations.

Salt water will cure what ails you:  A trip to the beach and dipping your toes in the ocean could cure anything from bodily aches and pains to a case of the blues.  And a pair of flip flops is superior to all other footwear on virtually any occasion – a genetic disposition she passed on to her son.

Sue’s most notorious talent was her love of cooking, an expertise practiced year-round but particularly shared at the holidays.  She could turn butter, eggs, flour, chocolate, and fruits into an endless array of treats, and then given as gifts to family, co-workers, parishioners, friends and sometimes school classrooms (later, college dormitories).  Food, she believed, is the perfect gift because “everybody needs to eat.”  And every meal ended with the same question, “did you have enough?”  Leaving Sue’s table hungry was not an option.

In her lifetime, Sue touched the lives of many folks.  Those who’ve taken her lessons to heart will continue to ensure that knowledge is best shared one book at a time; that every child gets a present at Christmas, no matter how simple, so he or she can know the joy of the season and not feel left-out; thrifty shopping habits can be multiplied into ample gift-giving; a pair of flip flops by the ocean can be restorative physically and mentally; a heart’s love can be expressed through a happy belly after a shared meal and to always finish by asking “did you have enough?”