Maxine Pybas Snell, 90, born in Tupelo, Miss., to James M. and Ruth Hazelwood Pybas, passed away peacefully at Carolina Meadows, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Maxine married John L. Snell, deceased 1973, history professor at UNC-CH and Tulane University. Maxine graduated magna cum laude from Murray State University in Kentucky with a bachelor of arts in music education in 1951. She was a bandleader in Arkansas and Mississippi and started a music-education program for school children in New Orleans. Later, she played bassoon in the Durham Symphony and worked for both Duke University and Durham Academy.
Mrs. Snell is survived by her children, grandchildren and sister-in-law: Leslie Snell Underwood and husband, Mike Underwood, of Raleigh, N.C.; John M. Snell of San Geronimo, Calif.; Marcia S. Pantell and Kirk Erickson of Chicago, Ill.; Scott and Asheley Underwood of Raleigh; Katie Lynn Underwood of Charleston, S.C.; Sue and Charles Coney of Kingsport, Tenn.; and her beloved cat, Monsieur Spooks.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carolina Meadows Employee Appreciation Fund, 100 Carolina Meadows, Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8505, or UNC Hospice, 1101 Weaver Dairy Road, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27514). A more extensive obituary can be found at walkersfuneralservice.com in the obituary section.