Florence Marie Snow, nee Eccles,
9th September 1911 – 26th October 2009
(98 years) 

Service of Thanksgiving
Monday 9th November, 2009
The Parish Church of St. Peter & St. Paul
Rustington

Conducted by The Rev. Zachary Allen 

Words of Welcome - Rev. Z. Allen

Hymn - "Immortal, Invisible" .... St. Nenio

Prayers

Tribute - Robert Knowles (see below)

Hymn - "Father hear the prayer we offer" .... Sussex

Reading - Revelation 21 v 1-6 ..... Kerren

Address - Rev. Z. Allen

Hymn - "Come down, O love divine" .... Dawn Ampney

Reading - Dr. S. Varley

Prayers

Hymn - "Thine be the glory" .... Maccabeus

The Blessing

Donations to St. Joseph's Nursing Home in Littlehampton or
Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Rustington
c/o F A Holland & Son. tel. 01903 713919

Tribute
by Rob Knowles

On behalf of the Family I would like start by thanking you all for coming to share this memorial in celebration of the life of Molly. These few words are on behalf of Rosemarie, Heather, John and Angela in the way they would like to have her remembered – with joy and happiness.

There is absolutely no doubt that Molly lived a very full, fruitful and much to be admired life. She was born in Wellesbourne, near Warwick, on the 9th September 1911 (yes 98 years ago) where her father was vicar. She was the second of four girls who made up the family of Bertram and Florence Eccles and was christened Florence Marie.

Neither of these names set her pulse racing and as she worked her way through the school years at Christ Hospital in Hertford she somehow became known as “Molly”. She was an able student who also excelled at games, playing for the school at Netball, hockey and tennis. Being at boarding school, where strict levels of discipline are required, and the need to fit in and learn to tolerate others, these attributes clearly helped prepare her for the later rigours as the wife of a vicar.

After leaving school she worked at the Post Office in Snowhill but finding it boring she quickly moved on to be a secretary at the Lygon Arms in Broadway, whilst her father and Willy Snow, who new each other from college, did some match making. Happily this led to her marriage in 1935 to William George Sinclair Snow, better known as “WG” at St James church, Dudley, Worcestershire. WG was already ordained by then and was duly posted to the poor area of Govern, Glasgow with the Bishop’s words “this will make you or break you” ringing in his ears, and Molly clearly wondering what she had let herself in for. However as would become her lifelong trademark “Molly took it all in her stride” and indeed either side of a move to the softer suburb of Dumfries she gave birth to Rosemarie in 1938 and Heather in 1940.

A further move was made in January 1942 to the picture-postcard village of Elmley Castle back in Worcestershire where WG was to take up a much different type of living in the rich countryside of the Vale of Evesham. During the move Molly stayed with her parents in Peopleton and John was born there in October 1941.

Molly was always the tireless practical force behind the family and no more so than during these years at Elmley. She not only had to look after a growing family, large Vicarage and help WG with the many demands of the parish but also spend every free moment tending the more than two acres of garden, complete with pigs and chickens, in an effort to make up for food shortages in the tough war years.

Also, as life would have it, Measles was followed by Mumps was followed by Chickenpox for all the children. Then, as an additional test of her equanimity and stamina, Angela was born in 1945. A few months later Rosemarie developed, what was in those days a dangerous infection of scarlet fever, and had to go to hospital. Molly had to keep the rest of the family separated for some weeks in the hope that nobody else caught it. As always seemed to be the case she took it in her stride and luckily everyone survived without infection.

Life was very busy and as the children grew up Molly gradually took advantage of little hands with a tireless production line of collecting eggs, curing bacon, making faggots, picking fruit and so on. Of course the Snow children were just that – children, and whilst WG attended to the needs of the Parish, Molly’s infinite patience was tested regularly at home….. Rosemarie with a serious bicycle accident, Heather by trying to keep ducks in the kitchen, John taking a liking to scrumpy, and Angela cutting off most of her hair – just to name a few. Molly was also determined the children should have the best preparation for life and when the time arrived they each where sent off to boarding school.

Life changed in other ways in 1952 when WG was called to become the vicar of Bognor Regis. Typically Molly plunged into her new role with traditional fervour, working her way tirelessly through young wives and women’s institute meetings, fund raising drives and coffee mornings whilst the house was bursting at the seams with “this and that” collected for jumble sales.

Anyone who knew Molly appreciated her kindness and consideration. Often she could be seen cycling around Bognor to visit somebody who was sick or elderly, always finding the time to listen and talk to people. She would leave you waiting as she would disappear with the words “I just want to have a quick word with so and so over there” – you never had a clue how to interpret “quick” but you always waited patiently – that is unless your name was WG. However this was what made Molly the kind, endearing, willing to help person that she was –she never liked to leave anything unfinished.

In 1976 retirement beckoned and she and WG moved here to Rustington to be near Heather and Rob. Both soon became active in the local church and fund raisings, with Molly involved in the organizing of coffee mornings, parish luncheons, and for the Art Shows put on by Charles Vincent and WG.

By this time and as a sign of her continued determination Molly always drove the family car – even well into her eighties. At least she was able to keep it on the road, WG certainly having been known to use the pavement from time to time. However she was oblivious to the gear grinding, a problem overcome by the reluctant change to an automatic.

In 1995 she and WG celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary with attendees from all the English parishes they had served over the previous 60 years.

Following WG’s passing in 1996 Molly remained in Rustington constantly visited by her increasing family which now includes 9 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. We are fortunate to have those indelible memories of seeing her, always smiling, as the patriarch of those four generations.

As she has become frail in recent years, family, friends and neighbors have watched over her in the same way as she has previously watched
over others. When she finally became unable to look after herself she spent two happy years in Oaklands Court, Felpham until her health finally gave way. In her final three months she was wonderfully looked after by the Sisters and Staff at St Josephs in Littlehampton and the family are extremely grateful for their loving care.

Molly inherited her Mothers philosophical serenity about life, and never complained about her lot. Typically whenever her carers asked how she was getting on she would reply with that great big smile “Oh I’m all right…..How about you?”

She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother and will be greatly missed. But let us all be thankful for her long and fruitful life and all the Happy Memories it has left us.

9th November 2009

Molly Snow, wife of the late William G. Sinclair Snow (vicar of Bognor from 1952 - 1976)  passed away on 26th October, 2009 in her 99th year.

Although it is over 30 years since WG retired from the Parish of Bognor, it was a sign of the lasting  friendships developed during their twenty four year connection with the parish of Bognor, and the special affection for Molly held by those parishioners that knew her and continued to keep in contact with her,  that so many from both St. John's and St. Wilfrid's attended the service of Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately I never met the Snows as I didn't arrive in Bognor until 1977 and by then the Rev. Harold Embleton was vicar of Bognor (1976 - 1986) but I was well aware from people like Joan Tailby what a wonderful person Molly was both as mother of a family that included the famous cricketer John Snow, and an exemplary vicar's wife fully involved in all the day to day activities of a large parish.

After the service, Molly's family treated us most royally to a delicious  lunch and I much appreciated the opportunity to chat about Molly with her daughters Rosemary, Heather and Angela, and with some of her old friends like Margaret Tout and Mollie Clark.  I also managed to take some photographs (above) that were on display.

There were further ties too - the Rev. Zachary Allen, vicar of St. Peter & St. Pauls who conducted the service and gave a most moving address, was a curate at St. Wilfrid's under the Rev. Harold Embleton; we are looking forward to Zachary's  return to St. Wilfrid's to preach some time during our Centenary of 2010.

PG 9/11/2009