E. Donald Snow, Sr.
Athlete & Coach, World War II Veteran
& Missionary

Edward Donald Snow, Sr., BYH Class of 1938
E. Don Snow, 1938

Brigham Young High School
Class of 1938


Don Snow played on the 1937-1938 BY High varsity basketball team, and was a member of the BYH Boys' Athletic Club. He spent some of his earlier high school years at Dixie High School in St. George, Utah. He graduated from BYH in the Class of 1938.

Edward Donald Snow was born in St. George, Utah, on February 2, 1920. He grew up in Utah's Dixie. His parents were Karl Nelson Snow of St. George and Wanda McGregor Snow of Parowan.

Don was named after his grandfathers, Edward Hunter Snow and Dr. Donald Alpine McGregor. His father died when Don was ten years old. Don was old enough to remember him and miss him the rest of his life.

His mother raised five sons and one daughter: Tony, Ellsworth, Don [BYH Class of 1938], Shipley [BYH Class of 1939], Alma [BYH Class of 1945], and Karl Jr. [BYH Class of 1949]. The children later started a scholarship fund at BYU in memory of their mother.

Don "Rabbit" Snow grew to the height of 6'4" and loved basketball. He played at Dixie High, BY High, and at BYU.

World War II started in Europe in 1939. Don decided to enlist in the military when the United States entered the war after the massive Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Don Snow left the BYU basketball squad 53 days later on January 29, 1942 to join the U.S. Army, where he began intensive training for serious battle.

Normandy Invasion in June 1944
Normandy Invasion in June 1944

He courageously faced death during the Normandy Invasion on D-Day in June of 1944.


Wading ashore on Normandy Beach on D-Day
Wading into hostile fire on Normandy Beach, D-Day


Marching in the snow in the Battle of the Bulge
Marching in the snow, Battle of the Bulge

Six months of wearying battle culminated in the immense Battle of the Bulge, beginning December 1944 and continuing to the end of January 1945. During those years Don Snow served with the 2nd Infantry (Indianhead) Division.

After the war, Don returned home and resumed his education at BYU. He earned a BS degree in Physical Education from BYU in 1946.

Don met his beautiful sweetheart, Anne Greaves, at BYU, and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 5, 1951. Her parents were Harry George Greaves and Sarah Smith Greaves, both of Salt Lake City.

In 1948 Anne, working as a secretary at the time, had given the Salt Lake Telegram her opinion on a topic of that day. But the reason for this note is that the article includes a photograph of Anne.

Their family grew to include five children: Edward Donald Snow, Jr., Ann Cherie Snow, Sarah Dawn Snow, Randall Greaves Snow, and Wanda Su Snow.

Don earned an MS degree in Physical Education from BYU in 1954. He wrote his master's thesis on the history of the LDS All-Church Basketball Tournament [a highly successful program that continued until 1971, when the Church grew so large that the program became too complex].

He had been a Boy's Physical Education teacher and Coach at BYH from the late-1940s to 1958. He coached basketball, football, tennis and track at BYH.

For a total of 27 years, Don Snow served as a head basketball coach at Milford, North Summit, BY High, and Granger high schools. He preferred "Coach" over any other title.


Coach E. Donald Snow, Sr. in his retirement years
Coach E. Donald Snow, Sr. in retirement

Don's reputation for having a good memory was enhanced when the story got around about an incident -- actually two incidents -- in Riverton, Wyoming. He was in that city in 1958, and was flipping a silver dollar in the air. On his last flip the coin landed on top of a sign in front of a store he was passing. In late 1963 when passing through Riverton, he remembered the incident, borrowed a ladder and climbed to the top of the sign. There he found his silver dollar. [Davis County Clipper, Jan 3, 1964]

Don was a mentor and father figure to many of his players, and particularly to his nephews and nieces whose fathers suffered untimely deaths. His family remembers him as softhearted but "tough as nails".

Don was a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the years he served as a high priest, Sunday School teacher, ward clerk, home teacher, and Young Men's basketball coach.

After his retirement, Don and his wife Anne served in the LDS Greece Athens Mission where he was president of the Piraeus Branch.

He loved BYU sports, and held season tickets for basketball and football games for more than 50 years.

Don Snow died on Friday, April 2, 2010, at 90 years young. He was survived by his wife, Anne, his five children: Edward D. Snow, Jr. (Eileen), Cherie Snow (Colin) Campbell, Sarah Snow (Dennis) Trop, Randall G. (Ronda) Snow, Wanda Snow (Sean) Frost; 15 grandchildren, seven great- grandchildren; his sister, Alma Snow Whiting, and his brother, Karl Nelson Snow, Jr.


Don Snow honored as D-Day, Battle of Bulge Veteran
Don Snow Honored as WWII Veteran in 2008


We welcome alumni and friends to submit additional stories, information and photographs regarding the BYH years of Don Snow. Send information by email to: yhigh@ymail.com

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