Ned Snead, founder of GREX, 1929-2015

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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Edwin de Steiguer (Ned) Snead, the founder and chairman emeritus of Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX), passed away January 22, 2015 in Georgetown, Texas, at the age of 85.

 

According to the company, his innovative engineering ideas, designs and creativity helped pave the way for many improvements in rail industry practices.

In 1992, at an age when most men are retiring, Ned created GREX. Much of the equipment that GREX uses was invented and patented by Ned, including the DUMP TRAIN, a train that unloads itself by way of a conveyor belt running the length of the train. Ned holds 26 patents for various inventions related to the rail industry. Often Ned would have an idea and others would tell him, “That won’t work” or “We don’t need that.” He never let negative opinions deter him from pressing on with his invention. Sometimes the idea didn’t work, but often enough he would come up with a product that was both ingenious and economically viable.

Ned is survived by his loving wife Sherron, children (and spouses) Bonnie and Bill Stump, Cindy and Paul Wood, Jeannie Snead and Glen Kotulek, Jennifer and Kirk Roddie and Vernon Jordan, plus 14 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He is also survived by his first wife Suzanne Kerr Snead and by his brother and sister-in-law Bill and Nancy Snead.

A memorial service will be held January 31 at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either the Georgetown Sunrise Rotary Club or the Ned Snead Memorial Scholarship for Innovation and Engineering at Union State Bank.

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