Samir D. Boulos

Samir Danial Boulos, father of David Boulos, peacefully passed away on July 15, 2025, at the age of 88. Samir was born on March 5, 1937, to Nergis and Danial Boulos in the city of Minya, Egypt. He was one of five children (Samira, Hoda, Paul, and Ibtisam). Samir was raised in the small village of Hoor in a home that was next to a church and school that his father and grandfather founded, who were both ministers.

After high school, Samir attended the University of Cairo majoring in both chemistry and physics, earning a bachelor of science degree. He went on to teach both subjects to college and high school students, and tutored privately in Cairo. His most notable students while tutoring was the children of former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. Soon after marrying Samia Boulos, he and his wife immigrated to the United States in 1970, with a thousand dollars in his pocket (as he often reminded his son).

Samir wanted to continue his career in education in the United States, but realized it would be more prosperous to use his chemistry degree in industry, the ice cream industry. He started out working at DeConna ice cream in New Jersey, where he worked as a quality control technician and had two other jobs to provide for his family: a paper route and building telescopes. In 1973, Samir and Samia had their only son, David. Then to escape the frigid tundra of the Northeast, they moved to Ocala, Florida, continuing his career in the ice cream business with Gold Bond Ice Cream, which later became Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream. Samir became the quality control manager for the company as well as a member of the research and development team, inventing new products that still exist today, like the Screwball ice cream cup, and peanut butter flavored ice cream popsicles. Samir grew to love the ice cream industry devoting himself to it and excelling in many aspects of the business, from quality to flavor and even sanitation of the ice cream plants. In the last 12 years of his career, Samir took on a special appointment by the president of Good Humor-Breyers, to be a Field Quality Assurance Manager, where he would travel the entire United States from coast to coast, inspecting stores that carried the product, warehouses that stored it, and everything in between. He thoroughly enjoyed all the travel and seeing our great country, despite the fact that it was work.

Samir had a love of the beach, coming from spending some of his childhood in Alexandria, Egypt. He always wanted to live on the beach to have that beautiful water view, and worked so hard his entire life to save up to make it a reality. And that he did, building a house on the beach in Ormond just before retiring at age 72. He built his dream home with family and friends in mind, to have a place for them to visit and stay, especially his daughter-in-law Peggy and only granddaughter Juliette, who made him a grandfather in 2007. Samir so loved his Juliette, spending hours playing games with her, coloring, taking her to the beach to play in the sand and swim in the pool, and baking chocolate cake with her (for breakfast).

After retirement, Samir devoted more of his time developing friendships with neighbors and the wonderful church family of Riverbend in Ormond Beach. He cherished his time with them at the BFG (bible fellowship group), growing his relationship with God, and serving Him by conducting weekly church services at Avante Nursing Home in Ormond Beach and food drives during Thanksgiving. Then in 2019, Samir reconnected with his childhood church in Hoor, Egypt, providing his resources and time traveling back to Egypt to rebuild the church and procuring and renovating an apartment building converting it into a dormitory for Christian girls going to college.

Samir (aka. Sumrah and Uncle Pistachio) was dearly loved by his son who he called “the apple of my eye”, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, extended family, church family, and friends he made along the way after moving to Ormond Beach. Samir was ready to be with his Savior, and is now smiling down upon us with no pain, no sorrow, just thankfulness for the wonderful life he had on earth.

“For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” - Psalms 116: 8 and 9

A funeral service for Samir will be held Saturday, July 19, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Riverbend Community Church, 2080 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174. Following the funeral service will be a graveside service from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Volusia Memorial Park, 550 North Nova Road, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.