Robert “Bobby” Snell, 58, of Bugtussle, died Tuesday, July 28, 2009, at Solara Hospital in Muskogee.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Brumley-Mills Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Brumley-Mills Chapel with the Rev. William Nixon and Cecil Day officiating. Burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Brumley-Mills Funeral Home of McAlester.

Born May 6, 1951, in McAlester, he was the son of Benjamin and Reba Alice (Parkerson) Snell. He grew up here and graduated from McAlester High School in 1970.

He married Beverly Martin on Feb. 19, 1972, in McAlester. He worked for Arkla Gas Company as a backhoe operator for 27 years, retiring in 2000. He also had his own private backhoe service.

He and his family had also operated a convenience store/gas station on south U.S. Highway 69 near the airport, where the Choctaw Casino now is.

He had been a member of the Jaycee’s for a number of years.

He was also very involved in the rodeo business. He bought and sold horses and was a stock contractor for rodeos. He was also active in rodeos as a roper and was a long time member and past president of the Kiamichi Saddle Club, where he helped kids learn about all areas of horsemanship. But his true enjoyment was teaching and watching his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Beverly Snell, of the home; one son and daughter-in-law, Todd and Raisheal Snell, of Bugtussle; one daughter and son-in-law, Stacey and Derek Higgs, of Bugtussle.

Also, two grandchildren, Emma and Paden Snell; mother-in-law, Marie Martin; sister-in-law, Lou Nell Snell; one niece, Karen Black and her husband, David; two nephews, Rodney Snell and Mike Snell and his wife, Nancy, and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Wayne Snell and Benny Snell, and father-in-law, Pat Martin.

Pallbearers will be Duane Blansett, Stacy Zachary, David Killebrew, Terry Yount, Larry Morgan, Jim McFarland, Donny Ray Scherman and Sam Allar.

Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Allford, Donny Scherman, Dennis Cantrell, LeRoy McClaughrey, Phil Lay, Frank Marco, Gary Riley, Leon Cable and Pat Heacock.