Radio Host Duane Snow, Who Was On-Air for Decades, Has Died

Duane Snow, a former Albemarle Supervisor and WINA radio host of more than 20 years, has died. Following a more than five-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer, Snow passed away surrounded by his wife and children on Saturday, Sept. 3, his family confirmed. He was 77.

Snow was first diagnosed with cancer in 2017. His wife, Rena Snow, said “he had a good five and a half years,” according to the Daily Progress, with his son Corbin adding, “he gave us five and a half years to prepare for this day.” According to family friend Richard Lloyd, Snow knew that his battle with cancer was coming to an end when he visited him a month ago. Lloyd said that Snow told him, “‘I’m going to my place with my God.’ He was happy and jolly even though he was destined to die in a month.” His son added, pew WINA, that when his father “found out he had about a month left, that everything was coming to an end, he set three goals. One of his goals was to make it the full month to his wedding anniversary, which he did.”

Bon in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1944, Snow graduated from Rock Hill Academy in 1963 before attending Brigham Young University, where he earned his BS degree in Business and Advertising. After returning home from his mission in the Northwest States Mission, for The Church Of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints, he married his wife. He went on to work at Snow’s Garden Center, which his father founded in 1912, before retiring and selling it to his son, Corbin, in 2003. With the wealth of knowledge, he gained from his work there, Snow became the host of SnowKnows, a radio program launched on station WCHV in 1942. The Daily Progress reports that “the how may be the world’s longest-running gardening broadcast.” In addition to his radio show, Snow also had a run in politics, being elected and appointed to Albemarle County Board of Supervisors from 2010 through 2014, serving two terms on the VA Board of Agriculture, and the Albemarle County Architectural Review Board from 200 until 2004.

According to Snow’s family, per his obituary, Snow “touched the hearts of all he came in contact with and made everyone feel like they were his favorite. He was quick to forgive others and a true disciple of Jesus Christ.” Snow is survived by his wife Rena and son Corbin, as well as daughters April Chandler, Jill Arterburn, and Emily Sheets, and son Jonas Snow. He will be laid to rest on Saturday, Sept. 10.