Former Ogden Mayor Scott Sneddon, 65, dies

OGDEN — Former Ogden Mayor Scott Sneddon has died, months after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 65.

The death was confirmed Tuesday by Jane Stevens in Mayor Matthew Godfrey's office.

Mr. Sneddon was on the Ogden City Council from 1977 to 1989, when he was elected mayor. He served one four-year term and was the last mayor under the city administrator form of government.

Soon after he was elected to the council, Mr. Sneddon began to work to revive a relationship with Ogden's sister city: Hof, Germany. The cities first formed their alliance in 1955, but the relationship had gone fallow. He and his wife, Katherine, made several trips to the German city and then helped organize the 1986 Ogden Hof Winter Carnival in Ogden.

Mr. Sneddon's effective work earned him the Hof City Medal of Honor, the first foreigner to be given the award, his wife said.

Born in Ogden on Jan. 9, 1940, Mr. Sneddon graduated from Ogden High School and received a bachelor's degree in health, physical education and recreation from Weber State University. He went on to obtain a master's degree in the same field from the University of Utah.

Mr. Sneddon worked for the city school district from 1969 to 1998, coaching swimming, basketball, baseball, football and wrestling. A highlight of his coaching career was leading the Washington Alternative High School to a city basketball championship — the first winning season for the school in 14 years.

Glenn Mecham, who succeeded Mr. Sneddon as mayor, called the former mayor a "fine gentleman."

"He was a very resolute gentleman and when you're resolute you have the ability to evoke some controversy, but I considered him to be highly principled," Mecham said.

Funeral services will be Friday at 11 a.m. in the Pleasant View 10th Ward chapel, 3602 N. 500 West, Pleasant View, where friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Ogden City Cemetery.