Mrs. Wilma Bomar Snelen

Wilma Lee Bomar-Snelen
May 17, 1936 – January 29, 2024

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee—married Texan, the late Jimmy Snelen (a song and music evangelist) in 1977, and moved to Grand Prairie, TX. Her parents are the late Bud and Eva Bomar. Wilma grew up in the subdivision of Hollywood and attended Hollywood School (grades 1-9) and graduated from Memphis Technical High School. Attended Mississippi University for Women, Memphis Art Academy, and completed The Dale Carnegie Course, which she won a scholarship to attend.
During her Memphis Technical High School days, she was noted as “Best Dressed Girl” in Senior class and continued throughout her life to dress like a fashion plate!

Wilma loved people and loved to entertain and had lots of fun dinner parties with many old and new friends, and a few famous folks.
When she left Memphis in 1978, she was secretary/administrative assistant to the late Dr. Jack E. Wells, Dean, U.T. College of Dentistry—she loved the job, and it was hard to leave her brand-new office, furniture, and décor in the new Winfield Dunn Dental Building.

In Texas, she became secretary/administrative assistant to the late Sheriff of Dallas County, TX, Jim Bowels and collaborated with him for about 15 years. There was never a dull day at the Sheriff’s office. She met Jim Leavell, the man in the famous photos of himself handcuffed to Lee Harvey Oswald. He is the man in the light-colored suit. Marina Oswald and her present husband were in the office from time to time. Sheriff Bowels was an expert on the Kennedy assassination and people from the world over came to visit the Sheriff.
The TV Show “Dallas” was still in production at the time and many scenes were filmed in the courthouse and vicinity. Many of the male stars became Honorary Posse members, so she would see them and have photos made with them.

Wilma and her husband, Jimmy, did prison ministry in Texas state prisons for about 15 years. Jimmy was minister of music in the prison revivals conducted by late Dr. Paul Carlin of Crocket, TX. Paul preached, Jimmy played and sang the songs with meaning and conviction, and they saw hundreds of inmates saved. Their last prison meeting was in December 2005, due to Jimmy’s declining health. Wilma continued to communicate with a few inmates including one who served 25 years and was released April 2008. Wilma had a huge party for the released inmate later that year—making it a combined release party and 64th birthday party which they both were totally overwhelmed.

Wilma’s main hobby over the years was attending concerts by Gospel Quartets, especially the Blackwood Brothers (since 1953) and Statesmen. In later years Wilma collected various crystal patterns focusing on Fostoria “American Pattern” and Cape Cod by Avon. Her love for cooking was evident as she blessed countless with her gift.

To know Wilma was to love her, being remembered with love and fondness forever. She was truly one-of-a-kind and will be missed greatly. Having lived a full and long life, she now joins most of her family and loved ones yet still leaves behind many who love her, including her adoring twin nieces Melody Snelen and Rachel (Snelen) Crismond.

Wilma entered her heavenly home while at Arlington Memorial Hospital, and will be laid to rest at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery in Memphis, TN.