ELTON SNOKE 1948 - 1966 ACCOUNTANT, SUPERINTENDENT OF STATIONS, MANAGER OF STATIONS DEN Eldon Snoke was Superintendent of Stations at Headquarters in DEN. -Ed Baker (7/18/03) My father, Elton Snoke, a longtime employee of Frontier in the 50's & 60's, died many years ago. If his obituary would be of any interest, I would love to have him added to this list. My dad was an employee of Frontier back in its earliest days. I have lots of fond memories of those days. I don't know if the Frontier Airlines Club would be relevant to me or me to it, but if so, I'd love to join. Thanks. -Karen Snoke Gretzler (8/1/03) Hi Karen, What a tremendous coincidence! I have been trying to find some info on your dad the past several weeks. Ed Baker, who worked for Frontier in the 1950s had contacted me and your dad's name came up in our e-mail. Was Pat Snoke a relative? She worked in the clerical area in the early 1980s. I'm sending you an invite to the free online Frontier Club at yahoo.com We have 380+ members and a lot pf reminiscing goes on at the message board. There are also photo and link areas. We also have a newsletter and I'll send you one if you'll send your postal address. Be sure to check out the Index sites. Send me your dad's obituary, a photo, and anything else you think appropriate for his obit webpage. Also, send some info on when he worked at Frontier, positions held, where located, etc. -Jake Lamkins (8/1/03) I'm still hoping to hear from you with more info about your dad. We have so very little. -Jake Lamkins (8/19/03) Hi, Jake. I did locate a photo of my dad from the Frontier days, and I have it set aside. I haven't located a copy of the obit. I'm sure it is at home in Denver. I'm a teacher, and today is the first day of school, so life has been a little hectic. It will settle down here in the next week, and I will get this stuff off to you. Thanks for your interest! -Karen Snoke Gretzler (8/20/03) We soon experienced a management change and a great boss and individual Cal Reese took over at Denver. About two weeks into his management two of us made a trip to the Frontier hanger to buy nickel Pepsis for the station group. We could save 5 cents by using the hanger machine versus the terminal food vendor. Of course we had been told not to use the gas for unnecessary trips but we all just had to have a Pepsi and it was just two days prior to payday. On the way back, with yours truly driving, a Denver police car came speeding through the parking lot and we touched bumpers in a minor collision. The Pepsis went crashing to the floorboard and broke. I got out of the truck with Pepsi flowing after. The policeman was irate, mostly because the auto was new and our old Chevy Pickup had left a 3 inch stripe of Frontier green paint on his bumper. As we discussed the issue, amid the Pepsi puddle, the officer decided he would cite me for not yielding although I was in the fire lane and had the right of way. Fortunately Elton Snoke had been watching the episode from his office. He called Cal and then came to our defense. The officer didn't know what had hit him after Elton got through with his version of the bumping! And to top it off here Cal comes across the ramp on a tug with the accident report in his teeth. In his cool and polite way he handled the situation, for my benefit admonished me in front of Elton, and we went back to work. My second brush with termination and I had not been there 2 months! I could only imagine the impression I was making, now on my second boss! Only 4 months to end of probation. The jury was out as to whether I would make it. (Excerpted from an article by Chuck) -Chuck Demoney (8/25/03) In all the years of the Frontier News I don't believe anyone has ever written anything on The Air Fairs that were held at cites to show appreciation. We held such a Fair at Grand Island, NE just prior to our starting regular flights. We would give free rides over the city for 15-20 minutes then back for another load. This was held in June or July 1959. (GRI service started 7/1/59) It was our first chance to work a actual flight and brush up on the new weight and balance , this was a CV-340 no less. Capt. Ed ONeal and Capt. Ev Aden were the pilots for all the flights. Frontier Officials were in town for the day to meet the City fathers. Elton Snoke the Supt, of stations was there ,the one I can remember. After all the flights we were invited down to the Yancey Hotel for a meal and a welcome to the City. We were just finishing up when an announcement came over the speaker that a hailstorm had went thru the airport, with lots of damage. So out to the airport we went. Our new CV-340 was pretty well beat up, Most of the windows on the terminal side were all broken, plus all the inspections ports on the tail were beat in, plus a lot of other damage, Aircraft was out of service for some time. The windows on the west side of the terminal were all broke - the glass and hailstones were almost a foot deep in front of the ticket counter, water 2-3 inches deep in all our offices. Every phone had someone on it calling Denver to advise of the storm. One of them had Mr. Snoke on it setting on a stool barefoot with blood dripping off his toe as he had taken his shoes off and had waded into the glass and hailstones. A couple of band aids fixed him up ok. Later that evening the aircraft was put in a hanger as another storm had been in the forecast. GRI manager was Menth Dexter along with agents Dean Head, Paul Kreitmann, Tom Blanchard and myself. That was our welcome to Grand Island ,NE I believe that same aircraft was also in the accident at Grand Island (SN73130 on 12/21/62). -Arnold Hadler (7/24/04) ELTON SNOKE Born 06 Dec 1921 Died Jan 1973 Age 51 SSN issued in Nebraska -SSDI (7/24/04) I still have not made it to Denver to look through old family info, but my dad, Elton Snoke, died in Dallas (he was an employee of Braniff at the time) at age 51 on January 15, 1973. He is buried in Denver. I enjoyed the anecdotes others shared about him. Thanks. -Karen Snoke Gretzler (1/2/05) I don't know if you were aware or not, but at the begining we agents were in The Rocky Mountain Air Line Agents Assocation in the early 50's. A sweeetheart Asssociation with FL. I was the Master Chairman after Eddie Baker, a Relief Agent stationed in FMN. After several tries to get a new agreement and after running out of dues monies while trying to negotiate, we were holding our negotiations in SLC ( I hoped that by bringing the FAL executives away from their home domicle we would have better luck). It was not to be. Elton Snoke, Manager of Stations was the FL representative. After we broke off negotiations Elton came to me and asked what we wee going to do now? Strike? He laughed and I replied, "no, we'll have to go to a national union." He laughed again and said "...go ahead and try, better men that you have tried and failed". Long story short, I did. I and others worked hard after meeting with Vic Herbert. A long struggles ensued and we found ourselves in a ballot with the National Mediation Board. I really sweated the outcome. We prevailed and were certified with the NLMB and became "merged" with ALAA (The Airline Agents Association) which subsequently became ALEA. Vic Herbert of course was then and always was a true gentleman. I learned a great deal from him. I was the MEC chairman several times during my tenure with FAL. -Kerry Allen (8/2/08) My step Father was Carlton K Foster. He started as A ramp /Ticket Agent in Phoenix with Challenger Airlines 1949. Was transferred to Douglas Arizona, he was Station Manager and every thing else, one man station. He was transferred to Winslow also as station manager after closing the Douglas Station. We were in Winslow for about two years, he was then transferred back to PHX as the Regional Supervisor working under a man named Elton Snoke. He was then transferred to Salt Lake City as Regional Supervisor. We lived in A duplex owned by Scott Keller next door to him. Scott And my dad were very good friends. My Dad was then transferred to Denver also as Regional supervisor. He worked for Frontier until late 1966 or just about the time FAL got the first 727. My dad flew out to Boeing and flew back on the first FAL 727, have photo of him on board with Boeing rep. -Gary Beam (9/8/09) Elton L. Snoke Died Jan 1973, age 51, DEN manager-stations Date of hire CHA Apr 1948 Born Dec 6, 1921 Per Ken Schultz database dated 4/11/09 Elton L. Snoke Accountant Per the 7/15/48 Challenger Airlines Employees Directory He is shown as Supt of Stn on the 11/4/55 FL Personnel Roster E. L. Snoke is shown as manager of stations on the 8/15/63 thru 4/15/66 FL Sales & Service Personnel Roster He is note on the 7/15/66 list - George Slivka is shown as manager of station services. It appears Elton left FL in mid 1966. Elton is not listed in the Jun 12, 1967 or Jan 1, 1970 FL Telephone Directory -Jake Lamkins (3/20/10)