Ex-principal and all-round good guy farewelled
Stephen Snell, 65, loses battle with cancer
The former principal of Dannevirke South School originally trained as a policeman. Stephen Snell, who died last Saturday at age 65, was born in Whangarei.
His wife Susie said he enjoyed being a policeman, but decided to train as a teacher when he and his family were living in Pahiatua.
He taught in a number of schools in Feilding, Ohakune, Rangiwae, Foxton, Bulls, and Palmerston North before taking on the job as principal at Dannevirke South School.
He was featured in the Dannevirke News in April 2010 in a story on the new principal.
Susie said he loved the school and stayed until he medically retired, being farewelled by the school in April last year.
Susie, who met her husband at Parewanui School in Bulls and was also a teacher, said they had a shared interest in education and tennis.
“We eventually got married and lived in Hunterville while he took up the position of principal of Otairi School.”
She worked in some of the same schools as her husband, including Dannevirke South School.
When he began his tenure at the Dannevirke school, the couple were living in Feilding, and they moved to central Hawke’s Bay, then Ashhurst and back to Feilding.
“[We] finally moved to Dannevirke as his health meant the driving was getting too much.”
The couple lived in the town for eight months before he became too unwell to work.
“He was very sad to leave and had a wonderful farewell.”
Susie said Stephen battled with prostate cancer, which meant many operations and trips to the emergency department at the hospital.
She said he recently spent five weeks in hospital with kidney failure as they tried to get on top of all the infections in his body.
“Just over three weeks ago he came home as I nursed him through his last days.”
Susie described Stephen as the “most wonderful man” who was always polite and complimentary and always grateful for his life and work.
She said he was equally loved by his students and his staff.
“He treated children as if they were the best child in the world, but at the same time was extremely good and fair working with behavioural issues.”
He understood the education system extremely well and was always helping the school to achieve great reports from the Education Review Office.
Susie said he was always helping his staff and other principals with his knowledge.
She said he was able to see and use the strengths of those he worked with to form a happy, united staff.
“With his deputy principal Caroline Gyde and assistant principal Jenna Hutchings, they formed a tight supportive leadership team that always focused on the good of every child.
“His door was always open and he often went out to visit families at home.”
Stephen enjoyed cycling, and was in the top few for his age in New Zealand.
Susie said he even once rode four times around Lake Taupo.
He participated in marathons, was a top tennis player and “all-round good guy”.
The couple spent the last year or so living not far from Marton on a farm looking out at the green hills, enjoying the peace and quiet.
Many of the teachers from Dannevirke South School had also made their way over to have a chat and a cuppa with Stephen, Susie said. “We will all miss him so much.” He is survived by his wife, children, stepchildren and grandchildren.
A service was held yesterday in Whanganui.
His door was always open and he often went out to visit families at home. Wife Susie