OBITUARY: WILLIAM R. SNODGRASS

William R. Snodgrass, former comptroller of Tennessee, died Sunday at his home in Nashville following a short illness. He was 85.

Mr. Snodgrass was first elected comptroller of the treasury in January 1955. He served for 22 consecutive two-year terms until he retired in January 1999. He was named comptroller emeritus and remained active with the state until his recent illness.

Mr. Snodgrass's career in public service spanned the terms of seven governors and 23 General Assemblies. The legislature named Tennessee's largest state office building, the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower, in his honor.

In addition to public service, Mr. Snodgrass was active in governmental accountability movements at the local, state, and national level. He served on the executive committee of the National Legislative Conference from 1970-74 and he was on the first executive committee of the National Conference of State Legislators in 1974-75.

Mr. Snodgrass was on the executive committee of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers from 1975 to 1980, where he served as president from 1978 to 1979 and received the President's Award in 1991. From 1980 to 1983, he was on the executive committee of the Municipal Finance Officers Association, now known as the Government Finance Officers Association. He was a member of the Association of Government Accountants and received its Distinguished Leadership Award in 1988.

He also was a member of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council, the Council of State Governments, and the National Association of State Comptrollers, where he received the President's Award in 1997.

Born in White County, Tenn., Mr. Snodgrass was a graduate of David Lipscomb College in Nashville. He attended the University of Pennsylvania during his military service and received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Tennessee.

Before becoming Tennessee's comptroller, Mr. Snodgrass served in the U.S. military from 1943 to 1946. After that, he became research assistant for the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Tennessee, where he also was a consultant on municipal accounting and finance. In 1953, he was appointed state director of budget and local finance.

He is survived by his wife Faye, daughters Emily Bailey and S. Elizabeth Bailey, son William R. Snodgrass Jr., brother Joe Snodgrass, 10 grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

The family will receive visitors today from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville. Services will be held at the church tomorrow at 1 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Woodmont Christian Church or Alive Hospice of Nashville.

A tribute to Mr. Snodgrass is posted on the Tennessee comptroller's Web site at www.comptroller.state.tn.us.

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