Larry James Snatchko
Larry James Snatchko of Burgettstown, a son of the late George and Anna Snatchko, passed away peacefully Friday, August 10, 2018, in his home.
He was the first “wee bit of fluff” born in Washington County in 1950. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Kay Kramer Snatchko; daughters Amy Stacy, Sara (Gary) Snatchko and Mary Ellen (Dan) Ketterer; sons Luke (Carrie) Snatchko and Ben (Trista) Snatchko. He had eight grandchildren, Loretta Stacy (Jason) Hartman, Lucy and Cecilia Snatchko, Danny and David Ketterer, and Loreiei, Henry and Annika Snatchko.
He was preceded in death by brothers David (Bert) Snatchko and Ron (Cheryl) Snatchko. He is survived by siblings Judy (Jim) Souffrant, Roger (Donna) Snatchko, Paul (Johnna) Snatchko, Betty (Gary) Brooks, John (Carrie) Snatchko and Mike (Michelle) Snatchko and approximately 100 nieces and nephews.
He graduated from Fort Cherry High School in 1967.
He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1968 to 1976 as a staff sergeant drill instructor in San Diego, Calif., and also served at Paris Island, S.C., Saigon, Vietnam and Okinawa, Japan.
He was a member of the United Mine Workers and Operators unions. He worked for Jones and Laughlin Steel and Midway Coal. As an operations manager for Flow Services, he worked in the Philippines and all over the United States, including The Kennedy Center and George Washington Bridge in Washington, D.C., and the Folsom Dam in Northern California. He visited a Steelers Bar in every major city in the United States.
He also had an entrepreneurial side, having co-owned an upscale cocktail establishment in Bavington with his brother, Roger. He had a short stint as a coffee magnate in his retirement. He enjoyed all sports but was happiest at the ball field. He played second base for Snatchko Brothers softball team and coached youth sports for Midway and Burgettstown Youth Baseball, Burgettstown Cadet Wrestling and Fort Cherry Youth Football.
He loved a good tournament. He taught his nephews to play over-the-line and initiated fierce tournaments on family vacations. He was founder and commissioner of the International Back Alley Federation and mediated disputes for many an all-night tournament. He would want loved ones to say he never cheated.
He adored his grandchildren and rarely missed a sporting event while he was able to travel to them. He always said, “it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s whether you have fun. But it’s more fun to win.”
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to BACDC, P.O. Box 331, Burgettstown, PA 15021, which will be allocated to Burgettstown Youth Sports.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in Thomas-Little Funeral Service Inc., 314 West Lincoln Avenue, McDonald, 724-926-2800. A service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 14, in the funeral home and interment will follow in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township.