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MABEL ADELLE SNEIDER
1901—1979
GRIEVED LEARN PASSING MABEL SNEIDER DEVOTED MAIDSERVANT BAHAULLAH LONGTIME PIONEER GILBERT ISLANDS. KINDLY CONVEY SYMPATHY FAMILY FRIENDS. ASSURE LOVING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HER SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.
Universal House of Justice 28 J anuary 1980
One must see the example of sincere love, patience, discipline and humility in order to believe in the existence of these qualities. Mabel Adelle Sneider possessed them all, and more. She was born in Casper, Wyoming, USA. on 8 September 1901 and grew up on a cattle ranch in Thermopolis, Wyoming, acquiring a deep love for horses and the outdoors. After graduating from high school she attended Fort Collins Agricultural College and then studied nursing which was her lifelong profession. Mabel declared her faith in Bahá’u’lláh in 1946 in Panama where she worked at the Gorgas Hospital. When asked why she became a Bahá’í, she simply stated, ‘It made sense.’ From the moment she embraced the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh she devoted her time and effort to furthering its progress. Putting her pioneering spirit into action, she made long—range plans to pioneer for the Faith after she retired from nursing. Mabel was adventurous but practical in nature, and she loved to travel.
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Mabel Adelle Sneider
In 1953 Mabel had the privilege of making her pilgrimage and of meeting the beloved Guardian. Dorothy Baker and Millie Collins were also in‘ the Holy Land at that time. The friendship that Mabel formed with these two outstanding believers exerted an influence which lasted the rest of her life.
One of the many services that Mabel performed for the Faith in Panama was that of assisting in the selection and purchase of the original land for the Panama House of Worship, a parcel that was later exchanged for the present Temple site. She went as a travelling
-teacher to Africa and to Central and South America. She retired after thirty years of service at the Gorgas Hospital and, on 17 July 1958, left Panama for the island of Tarawa, Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati), in the South Pacific, where she remained for fifteen years. Knowing what to expect when she reached her destination, she purchased a hand—operated machine for making cement blocks, a set of directions for making a native-style stove, and a bicycle which was her sole means of transportation. With the blocks she built herself a house based somewhat on an African model, and constructed a stove. Her residence on the island of Bikenibeu became widely known as
THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
‘Mabel’s house’. Although there were discouraging moments, she wrote in March 1964, ‘There have been rare cases when, having talked with someone of the Faith, you felt that great spirit, and then the feeling of having to come back into this world and walk on the roads again. You live in hopes of capturing these moments again . . . How blessed, though, I am, for I do have the love and loyalty of many and they really love the Faith. Their lives have been completely changed and they are willing to devote their entire time to the teaching of the Faith. I am certain they are very dear to Bahá’u’lláh. This is one of the reasons you feel that this is your home and where you hope to stay.’
During her first few years in the islands Mabel spent most of her time travelling to every island to meet the Bahá’ís and help them establish the Faith. She served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Gilbert Islands which was formed for the first time in 1967 and held the offices of secretary or treasurer. She helped purchase the site for the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds. She was twice a delegate to the International Convention in Haifa for the election of the Universal House of Justice. Her marriage in August 1965 to Mr. Tebakasro Aritiera ended in divorce in 1975 at which time she reverted to the use of her maiden name.
The need for medical attention forced Mabel to return to the United States in 1975. Even with severely impaired eyesight she vigorously served the Faith in Huntsville, Texas, whose lapsed Local Spiritual Assembly was formed again in 1978 with Mabel as chairman. The friends in Huntsville felt blessed to have her in their midst. She had an introverted personality. She was a listener and rarely spoke, but when she did she was mild, loving and honest; she had a child-like quality in her manner.
Mabel served Bahá’u’lláh’s Cause to her
utmost. Her intense love for the Faith and her
determination to get things done were an
inspiration to all who knew her. A few weeks
before her passing, the local newspaper ran a
picture of the Mother Temple of the West and
featured the Bahá’í Faith as the religion of the
week. As Mabel looked at the photograph of
the House of Worship she remarked, ‘I have
done everything that I wanted to do for the
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Faith.’ On 4 December 1979, in her seventyninth year, she passed away as the result of a
stroke.
