Donald Lewis Snook, a resident of Westport from 1969 to 2016, passed away quietly in his home in England on June 10, at the age of 102. He and his wife Katherine had been members of the Unitarian Church in Westport, where both sang in the choir and Don was a member of the Board of Trustees and led the Building Committee. Avid hikers, Don and Kathy led a church hiking group for many years. Don became an expert in the local trees, and after retiring from ExxonMobil, he spent six years as the Tree Warden of Westport.

Don was born in 1923 on a farm in Iowa, one of eleven children. After high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was a pilot overseas during World War II.  Following his graduation from Grinnell College, he pursued his studies and interest in international affairs at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and became an Arabist. He worked for the US State Department in Syria and Libya during the 1950’s and early 1960s.  In 1962 he left the foreign service to work for Esso Middle East. He continued in Libya until 1969, when he returned to the US to work at Exxon’s New York office and settled with his family, in Westport.  

In 1986 Don retired from Exxon, and in 2016, he and Katherine moved to Alpine, Texas, to live with their daughter, Helen and her husband, Steve. Don lost Katherine in 2021. Two years later, he celebrated his 100^th birthday in Alpine. Shortly thereafter, Don moved to the UK to live with his daughter, Laura, and her husband, Jonathan in Islip, outside of Oxford. Having been a B-17 pilot flying missions out of the UK during World War II, Don was honored there in May, 2025 at a celebration of the 80^th anniversary of Victory in Europe. 

A Celebration of Don’s life was held in England on July 10, with full US Air Force honors including an overflight of F-35 jets. A Memorial service including interment of his ashes and Katherine’s, will be held on August 20th in Iowa.  Don is survived by his daughters, Laura, Ann and Helen; grandchildren Michele, Paola, Johnny and Paul; great-granddaughter Victoria, and many nieces and nephews and their offspring. Don’s enthusiasm for life, sense of fun, kindness, and integrity will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him. 

For those who wish to send messages or to attend the memorial service in August, please contact Helen Snook (snookhelen@gmail.com; Helen Snook, 47040 State Highway 118, Alpine, TX 79830).