A longtime plastic extrusion expert, Jim Snell, 60, died unexpectedly Nov. 19 while visiting a customer.
Snell, a project manager for Reifenhauser Inc., died at the Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy County, Ohio. Funeral services were held in Orlando, Fla.
“He was probably known best for his technical ability. He worked about 30 years as a service technician and then as a project manager, so customers all over the world knew him,” said Steve DeSpain, vice president at Reifenhauser
Snell started his career in 1975 as a draftsman for John Royal Machinery. He later worked for such companies as Film Master, Western Polymer, the Egan Machinery division of John Brown Inc. (later bought by Davis-Standard LLC) and Sano.
He also worked for Nina Plastics, which later became the Niaflex division of Interplast Group, before joining Reifenhauser in 2013.
“He was actually at one of our customers and had a massive heart attack — it happened while he was on the road doing what he loved to do,” DeSpain said.
DeSpain has known Snell for more than 30 years, and said his friends set up a GoFundMe.com account to help the family with expenses.
Snell, who lived in Orlando, is survived by his wife and four children.