成人抖阴

James J. Snow, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor emeritus of philosophy, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Snow will be remembered for his passion for teaching and his many interests ranging from cooking and motorcycles to the philosophy of genocide. He was 69. 

鈥淎nyone who knew Jim can attest to the breadth and richness of his life experiences,鈥� said Mike Puma, Ph.D., dean of undergraduate studies. 鈥淵et, I believe the roles that suited him best were those of faculty member and student advisor. He was deeply committed to Loyola students and colleagues alike, always going the extra mile to create, share, and pass on knowledge and wisdom.鈥� 

Snow first started teaching at Loyola as an adjunct in philosophy in 1988, beginning a teaching career at the University that spanned decades, teaching hundreds of students. When Snow retired last spring, he became the first emeritus teaching faculty member in the history of the philosophy department. 

Love of Learning 

From 2018-2021, Snow served as a faculty co-director of Messina, Loyola鈥檚 distinctive program for first-year students. Even when he wasn鈥檛 serving as the co-director, Snow regularly taught Messina courses himself, often teaching two a year and inviting the classes to share meals at his home. 鈥淗e modeled a genuine love of learning and commitment to justice,鈥� Puma said. 

Without a tenure-track faculty appointment, Snow was a constant presence at Loyola, teaching as an adjunct, visiting assistant professor, as an affiliate, and as a teaching faculty member. 

鈥淛im Snow was really a jack of all trades who gave himself in every way鈥攁nd the biggest way鈥攖o Loyola,鈥� said Drew Leder, Ph.D., professor of philosophy. 鈥淗e was a trusted and valued member of the Philosophy Department, often taking on a heavy course load, and making himself maximally available on campus.鈥� 

Leaving a Legacy 

When his wife, Dale Snow, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, served as director of Loyola鈥檚 program in Leuven, Belgium, from 2013 鈥� 2015, her husband was there with her. Together, they threw themselves into the experience. 

鈥淭hey both did a good job of organizing the activities and relationships at Leuven itself, but they also set a wonderful standard, taking the students in groups all around Europe,鈥� said Rick Boothby, Ph.D., professor of philosophy. 鈥淛im took it on as a welcome job and service to the kids in that program and people in Leuven, Belgium. That time was very meaningful for them, and they left a legacy.鈥� 

At Loyola, Snow was active in many ways, speaking at Peace and Justice Studies events, serving on the Sustainability Committee, and facilitating Diversity Reading Groups.

鈥淚t is an achievement that Jim was so influential and involved without having that (tenure-track) position behind him,鈥� said Boothby. 鈥淗e and Dale were both Ph.D.s, both trained in philosophy, both ready to be classroom leaders, and sometimes couples like that get hired by a single place. But it wasn鈥檛 going to happen at Loyola, just by dumb luck of the openings for hire. So, Jim had this lifelong struggle of having to work his own skills and aspirations in the sort of sidelines while Dale had the full-time tenure-track position, and he did a fantastic job of that.鈥� 

The Other Dr. Snow 

Lisa M. Flaherty, program assistant in the philosophy department, met Snow when she started working for the department in 1995. 

鈥淗e and Dale affectionately referred to鈥痮ne another as 鈥榯he other Dr. Snow鈥� since they both worked in the same department,鈥� she said. 鈥淛im was always cordial and funny while remaining professional. He was passionate about teaching, especially his courses on genocide, and the students were very fond of him. His courses always filled immediately, and he was one of the first to send me syllabi for a new semester, which isn't easy for busy academics.鈥� 

While living in Leuven, Snow became interested in the philosophy of genocide and ultimately joined the International Association of Genocide Scholars, making significant contributions to the philosophical literature in this area. 

鈥淗e didn't turn away from hard political material,鈥� Leder said. 鈥淗e did research and developed an always heavily-enrolled Ethics course focused on genocide, both the Jewish Holocaust, and other forms that genocide has and continues to take in the contemporary world.鈥� 

Timely and Relevant 

Every semester, in addition to teaching 鈥淔oundations of Philosophy,鈥� Snow also taught two of these three courses鈥斺�淧hilosophy and Genocide,鈥� 鈥淓thics and Politics of Humanitarian Intervention,鈥� and 鈥淓thics After Auschwitz.鈥� 

鈥淭hese timely and relevant courses are incredibly significant contributions to Loyola. Jim developed them himself and added them to the course catalogue,鈥� Fuat Gursozlu, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and department chair. 鈥淛im didn鈥檛 shy away from discussing the most recent cases, which is something his students appreciated. I think this is one of the reasons why his courses had such a big impact on students鈥� lives.鈥� 

Snow鈥檚 research and scholarship into genocide enriched the education he offered in the classroom. 

鈥淛im was very committed not just to impress students with horrors, but to ask questions about what it means about humanity. Jim was both horrified and fascinated and dedicated to not let it not become a story about Auschwitz, but that we have a bigger problem,鈥� Boothby said. 鈥淗e was always driven by passion鈥攑assion for learning, passion for tough questions.鈥� 

Passion for Pedagogy

Snow鈥檚 love for teaching and his interest in pedagogy led him to pursue advanced work in education. He earned a teaching certification through Loyola in 1997, became a middle school teacher for several years, and went on to teach courses in Loyola鈥檚 School of Education. 

In addition to teaching philosophy and education, Snow offered classes on a variety of topics, from 鈥淵ou Are What You Eat" in Loyola鈥檚 Master鈥檚 in Liberal Studies to team-taught courses in Gender Studies. Some colleagues said that if there were an award for teaching in the most departments, Snow would easily have taken the prize. 

鈥淗e really brought something really valuable for many years while he was teaching,鈥� Boothby said. 

Snow was a visible member of the community outside the classroom, as well, engaged in the community in many ways. For years, the Snows were a constant presence at Beans and Bread in Baltimore, where members of the Loyola community cooked and served meals on the fourth Sunday of the month. 

Lifelong Learner 

After earning a B.A. in Philosophy and Classics and an M.A. in Religious Studies from Ohio University, Snow completed his Ph.D. in Philosophy at Temple University with his dissertation, 鈥淧atterns of Moral Vulnerability.鈥� 

In 2002, he completed studies in the culinary arts at l鈥橝cademie de Cuisine. He was a skilled chef and loved to prepare delicious meals and host groups in the Snows鈥� home. In addition to cooking, Snow had a great love for music, the family鈥檚 Great Danes, and he was a motorcycle enthusiast. One summer Jim and Dale rode a motorcycle on an epic 6,000-mile鈥痬otorcycle鈥痳ide to western Montana and back. 
Snow is survived by his wife, Dale, and their daughter, Cordelia,鈥�13. He is predeceased by a son, Carlyle.

Arrangements 

The 12:10 p.m. Mass on Wednesday, Feb. 11, in Alumni Memorial Chapel will be celebrated in memory of James Snow, Ph.D. 

Formal arrangements will be posted here when they are available.