Mr. Clyde Mitchell 'Mitch" Sneed's Obituary
Clyde Mitchell “Mitch” Sneed believed everyone has a story and if he met you, he was determined to tell it without fear or favor. He offered the world he encountered an authentic smile and an unflinching mirror that emanated from his written words.
For nearly four decades, Mitch reflected the world around him and shed light upon its glories and human frailties as a dedicated journalist, loving husband and father, a fiercely loyal friend and as a mentor to younger journalists discovering the profession that he viewed more as a vocation than just a job. His work earned a litany of professional honors and awards and consistently set a standard of excellence his colleagues used as a benchmark for their own efforts.
Sneed, 57, of Alexander City, Ala., died Sunday, July 1, 2018.
He was born on June 2, 1961 in East Chicago, Ind., to Roy J. Sneed and Donna J. Sneed.
Sneed was a life-long journalist, beginning his career at age 18 covering high school sports at his hometown paper, the Clayton News/Daily in Jonesboro, Ga. He attended the University of Georgia before returning to Clayton County to begin what became a remarkable career that would see him record a first draft of history throughout the South and the Midwest.
Sneed chronicled sports at every level of competition, including high school, college and professional sports teams. He wrote extensively about NASCAR, professional boxing and college football before moving to hard news coverage. He was an award-winning journalist at several stops throughout the Atlanta area, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in Kenosha, Wis., Virginia and Alabama. He served as editor at the Clayton News/Daily, the Opelika-Auburn (Ala.) News, and the Douglas County (Ga.) Sentinel. As a newsroom leader, he served as a mentor and an example of unparalleled dedication to scores of journalists that took the lessons he imparted throughout the country.
Throughout his career, Sneed interviewed world and national leaders, stepped in the ring to fight Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield for a charity event, exposed corruption and fought tirelessly to give voice to those in society who were otherwise voiceless. But his profound passion always was local community journalism and working tirelessly to improve any place he called home.
If you knew Sneed, you loved him. And he loved you, regardless of your station in life, your color, sexual orientation, religion or politics. To Sneed, everyone had a story and he dedicated his life to telling it.
He was widely appreciated for a biting wit and was an accomplished comedian who wrote for several nationally-known acts.
Since 2014, Sneed served as editor of five newspapers in Tallapoosa and Elmore Counties: The Alexander City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, The Wetumpka Herald, The Tallassee Tribune and The Eclectic Observer, and their related websites. Sneed won numerous awards during his long journalistic career, including 12 individual Alabama Press Association awards this year which will be presented at the state’s newspaper convention later this month. Sneed’s editorial team was a major reason The Alexander City Outlook was named one of the “10 Newspapers That Do It Right” in 2018 by Editor & Publisher magazine.
Survivors include his wife, Cyndi Thomas Sneed of Alexander City, Ala.; daughter Sydney N. Hampton-Sneed (Jessica) of Millbrook, Ala.; daughter Jessica D. Sneed (Sabrina) of Alexander City, Ala.; granddaughter Kaydence E. Bryan; sister Brenda J. Barnhill (Chris); brother Roy A. Sneed (Jeanie); sister-in-law Frankie Sneed, father-in-law Fred H. Thomas (June) of Opelika, Ala.; sister-in-law Missy Thomas McEntire (Thomas) of Opelika, Ala., and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father Roy J. Sneed and mother Donna J. Sneed, his brother Arthur J. Sneed and his sister Katherine G. Burger.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Faith Temple located at 425 Franklin Street, Alexander City. Pastor Ray Waters will officiate. From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. the family will receive friends at Faith Temple.
Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements, and memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneyfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are made to the Lake Martin Animal Shelter or the Alabama Press Association Foundation.
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