I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, 2 Timothy 4:7, New International Version
Marcellus Scowcroft Snow passed away in Honolulu on April 10, 2020, at the age of 78, after a courageous, twenty-eight year battle with Parkinson’s Disease, diagnosed in 1992. Throughout his remarkable life he achieved great successes in academia, as an outdoorsman, runner, Boy Scout leader, devout church leader, and as a family man.
Marcellus, the oldest of three sons, was born in Ogden, Utah, on April 2, 1942, to Charlene Scowcroft Snow and Marcellus Keyting Snow. Marcellus excelled academically at East High School (Class of 59), University of Utah (Honors BA Mathematics 1965), MIT (MS Linguistics 1967), Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (MA 1969), and UC-Berkeley (PhD Economics 1974).
In March 1968, Marcellus married Edwina Jo Burton in Salt Lake City. Their three sons, David, Jonathan, and Matthew, were born in Washington DC, Berkeley, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii, respectively, as Marcellus’ career and degree pursuits moved across the country and eventually across the Pacific.
Before attending Berkeley, Marcellus worked two years for COMSAT, the Communications Satellite Corporation, in Washington DC. His published dissertation was the first book-length treatment of the economics of satellite communications, a topic he continued to pursue in publications and presentations throughout his career as a Professor of Economics at the University of Hawaii from 1974 to 1998.
Marcellus was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He left college at 19 to serve a two-and-a-half year mission in Germany (1961-1964). For the last year of his mission he learned Italian, in addition to German, in order to proselytize Italian guest workers in Stuttgart. He also helped translate lessons, hymns, and the index for the Book of Mormon into Italian. After his mission, he served in administrative and teaching positions in the church, including counselor in two Bishoprics, Berkeley and Honolulu, and Scoutmaster in Honolulu (1985-1989).
Marcellus loved listening to and performing classical and folk music. He played the piano and guitar. In 1969 he performed Freight Train at the Cellar Door in Washington D.C, opening for the then unknown John Denver. His sons all developed a love of music from their father, and all were expected to learn to play instruments and to sing. Near the end of his life, his sons would frequently perform folk and Hawaiian music for their ailing father who tried to sing along when he could.
Marcellus enjoyed being outdoors, running and hiking. He ran seven Marathons in Honolulu and two in Salt Lake City. In Wyoming, in 1979, he ran a ten-mile leg of the Mormon Trail Relay. The relay participants were experienced runners as well as descendants of Mormon pioneers. Marcellus is a great-great grandson of Erastus Snow, one of the two Mormon pioneers to first enter the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and one of Brigham Young’s Twelve Apostles. Every June for fourteen years (1982-1996), Marcellus, usually with a son and some collection of Boy Scouts, back-packed the rugged eleven mile trail to Kalalau Valley, Kauai, a place he revered as among the most beautiful in the world.
After he retired, he transcribed his mission journal and published his translation of an article by the German economist Freidrich Hayek. Marcellus and his wife Jo travelled often and especially enjoyed visiting their children and grandchildren. For ten summers (1999-2009) they hiked in the Canadian Rockies and the southern Utah parks. After his Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis, Marcellus stayed fit by walking, hiking, golfing, and working out in the University of Hawaii gym. In 2013, he got a hole in one. Marcellus’ family is grateful to over twenty-eight dedicated caregivers who assisted Marcellus during the last fourteen years of his life.
Marcellus is survived by his wife of 52 years, Edwina Jo; their sons David (Miok), Jonathan (Joy), and Matthew; his grandchildren, Nathaniel, Emmett, Julia, and Violet; and his brothers Stephen and Philip. Due to Covid -19 restrictions, on April 24, Marcellus’ family will hold a private viewing at Larkin Mortuary and a private graveside service at the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Online condolences at www.larkinmortuary.com. Instead of flowers, please donate, in Marcellus’ name, to the Parkinson’s Foundation, www.parkinson.org.
God speed, Marcellus. Our lives are all the richer for having known Marcellus, Jo, and the whole family. Traci and I send our love and thanks for sharing your lives with us. Aloha.
Seenu and Anne Sarma ( Wilbur)
29 W Sahuaro Drive
Queen Valley Az 85118
Dear Jo, Matt and Family,
Howard and I want to express our sympathy to you in the passing of Marcellas. He fought Parkinson’s Disease so bravely for so many years. The tribute to him in Sunday’s Star Advertiser was a wonderful testament to his many accomplishments and endeavors. May his memory be a blessing to you.
Our ALOHA!
Howard and Kathy
Just a note to acknowledge this great gentleman. I so admired how he responded to his life with Parkinsonian’s disease and for so many years was active despite the insidious progression of his disease. He was one of my “heroes”. Edwina was a loving, supportive wife and I want to say “thank you” to her.
Loss is always difficult but with the support of Edwina and the “Snow family” Marcellus was able to make the most of his last years and I feel a great sense of respect and admiration for all of you.
With much admiration,
Jim Pierce
Edwina –
So sorry to read of your loss. May the Lord bless you and your family at this time.
Jo, what a great choice you made in marrying this remarkable man. His talents were extraordinary. I will never forget the time we spent together in the South German Mission Home in Feuerbach while he served as the mission secretary. He was so inordinately skilled with languages (German, French, Russian, and Italian). We also shared time together, serving in Mannheim. I remember “contacting” with him one evening as we encountered a Russian speaker. Immediately, he switched from German to Russian. I also remember with great fondness a duet that he played with a member of the Stuttgart Stake presidency as a part of Sacrament meeting. He played the guitar, and the presidency member played the violin. It was heavenly.
Sending much love your way!
Jo and family, I wish you blessing and peace at this time of mourning.
I just wanted to say that I was deeply saddened to hear of Marcellus’ passing. Professor Snow was on my dissertation committee in the early 1980s and I will always be grateful for his extraordinary support. I will never forget how he took the time to write an unsolicited letter to my boss about my dissertation, which really helped me in my career. It says a lot about his character — that he’s the type of professor that thinks of his students and how he can help.
I wish to thank the family for the excellent remembrance published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser this past Sunday. Of course, I knew Marcellus as a brilliant economist and mathematician and I even knew that he spoke fluent German and was an avid runner. But there was so much more to this man that I did not know about. He was a good man who lived a truly good and worthwhile life.
I also want you to know that made a donation to the Parkinson’s Foundation in Marcellus’ memory.
With deepest sympathy,
Bob Tanimura
April 20, 2020
Dear Snow Family,
When I was 11 years old I had the good fortune to move directly across the street from the wonderful Snow family on First Avenue. Marcellus ,or Cellus as we called him, rapidly became my first and best friend in the neighborhood. We were the same age but he was a year ahead of me in school because he skipped a grade at Stewart School. From there we went to East High, where Cellus was smart enough to skip everything and enter college, but we finished at East and went to the U of U where he was a Pi Cap and I was a Beta. As I recall, he had an IQ of 167. I’ve known a lot of smart people, but Cellus is the smartest person that I have ever known.
We played a lot of golf and tennis together and one summer we teamed up and won our Stake doubles tournament in tennis.
When I was 15, I had major surgery on my back and my physical activity was restricted for a year. Cellus would visit me often and we would sit on my front porch where he taught me how to play chess. Cellus would win just about every game. I think once in every twenty games I would win a game and I suspect it was due to his generosity.
Cellus, thanks for the good times and the memories and please save a place for me on the other side.
With my deepest sympathy to all of the Snow’s,
Steve Sanders
Dear Jo,
We are sadden to hear Marcellus’ passing from today newspapers, Star Advertiser.
Our prayers and thoughts are with you during this difficult and sorrow time.
Is there anything we can do to help, please do not hesitate to reach us at gvclay@hawaii.rr.com
Our deepest sympathy, sincere condolences and a big ALOHA to you and your family,
Jerry and Vanny Clay
When my family moved to the Avenues area at the same time the Snows moved to 1st Avenue, Marcellus was my best friend for several years. I took piano lessons from Charlene Snow, and my mother, Cherry Brown, was Marcellus’ piano instructor. After graduating from East High, our paths crossed only occasionally but I have always treasured my memories of him and his family. God bless you all.
Growing up Marcellus and our lives were closely linked, as neighbors and in school and church together. I knew he was having health challenges later on but am saddened at the passing of a good man. May he Rest In Peace and let us enjoy our memories
Dearest Jo,
I just saw Marcellus’ obituary. I am sure your loss is enormous. Even though he was ill, death is always heart ache and final sense of loss.
I have thought of you often. I give my most comfort to you and your children.
Please stay safe through this difficult time.
Love,
Penny Heal Breiman
To the Family of the Late Marcellus S. Snow,
I just wanted to say that I was deeply saddened to hear of Marcellus's passing. Professor Snow was on my dissertation committee in the early 1980s and I will always be grateful for his extraordinary support. I will never forget how he took the time to write an unsolicited letter to my boss about my dissertation, which really helped me in a critical point in my career. It says a lot about his character -- that he's the type of professor that thinks of his students and how he can help.
I wish to thank the family for the excellent remembrance published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser this past Sunday. Of course, I knew Marcellus as a brilliant economist and mathematician and I even knew that he spoke fluent German and was an avid runner. But there was so much more to this man that I did not know about. Thank you for informing me. He was a truly good man who lived a rich and worthwhile life.
I also want you to know that I made a donation to the Parkinson's Foundation in Marcellus's memory. I hope you all are well.
With deepest sympathy,
Bob Tanimura
Dear Jo and Family,
We are so sorry for the loss of your beloved husband, father and grandfather. I know my father, Cecil Raymond, had many great times and talks with Marcellus and you, Jo. I have a wonderful photo of my father and Marcellus by the North Saskatchewan River. I look at it often.
I think it was both of them in their prime when Marcellus was still able to hike and enjoy the outdoors of our great Canadian Rockies.
My mother, brother; Cecil-Henry and sister; Caroline and I would like to let you know we only just found out about your great loss, and we want you to know we are thinking of you and you are all in our thoughts and our prayers.
God Bless you and your family. I hope we can stay in contact even though my father is also gone now, he had great affection for you Jo, and Marcellus also. We always looked forward to your visits.
With much love and sympathy for your loss. Sincerely,
Elizabeth Chandless-Kane, Luce Chandless and family.
