Sandra and family,  My sincere sympathy in the loss of Mr. Sammy.  He was a special southern gentleman and a friend to all.  May God grant you peace in knowing that he is happy with Ms. Margaret now.  God Bless.  Shirley Poole Bourgeois

Grandpa's Eulogy
June 29, 2013
When it was decided that I would be the one to speak today, I went around and talked to a bunch of relatives about what they remembered most about my grandpa.
Everyone was quick to come up with humorous yet heartwarming memories of things my grandpa had said or done over the years.
I was told of his fierce loyalty, how he'd come running to help, it didn't matter the request.
I found out that in his youth he'd been able to sit backwards on the handlebars of a bicycle and – pedaling backwards – could effortlessly outrace any kid in the neighborhood.
My Aunt Sandra, who considers it a privilege to have lived with him for a brief time before he passed, recalled how when she returned from work and asked how his day had been, he'd respond with a twinkle in his eyes and a grin stretched across his face “Better now!”
As I continued to collect memories, I was reminded of how he loved driving around town in one of his restored Corvairs with the top down, and how he never wanted a boat ride to end.
People mentioned his addiction to Wheel of Fortune, his bed head, the way he laughed at his own jokes, and the way he wore one of his most notorious nicknames, Dirty Old Man, like a badge of honor. It's very likely that he taught half the people in this room how to play pool.
And for nearly everyone I spoke to, one of the first images to pop into their minds was of my grandpa dressed up as Santa Clause. Dressed in the gear from head to toe, he'd say “With a Ho and a Ho and a Ho Ho Ho! As he distributed gifts on Christmas morning.
He'd light up as we flung wrapping paper aimlessly around his living room.
But then there are all his other little expressions that we might call “Grandpa-isms”. There are so many that I couldn't even list them all, but some that come to mind are: “Well, Golly!”, “I'm so T-I-R-E-D tired I could F-A-R-T fart.” “Dusty Boy!” (And it didn't even matter if the canine he was addressing was Dusty or not.) And when he ate something delicious, he'd exclaim “C'est bon! Oui, c'est bon!” 
My Uncle Gary also reminded me of his passion for ice cream. When asked about his favorite flavor, he was known to respond with “It don't matter, there ain't no bad ice cream!”
For me, though, one of my most prevalent memories is sitting eating boiled crabs with him at home, the kitchen table covered in newspaper, sleeves rolled to the elbow, and crab juice spraying every which way. It used to be quite the family tradition to pick up dozens of boiled crabs on a Friday night and relish in a chorus of cracking a slurping.
If fact, one time we'd been so engrossed in our crabfest that no one even noticed that my grandpa's Jeep, which had been parked right outside the huge dining room window where we all sat devouring crabs – was stolen. We'd all been completely oblivious because we were in the zone. The Crab Zone.
All of these stories are a good chuckle, and they all drip of the unique charm and spunk that my grandpa embodied. And he was bursting with both charm and spunk.
These stories are so fun to tell and retell. But in speaking about my grandpa, I also wanted to represent how beautiful a person he was and all these little tidbits only give brief glimpses into the totality of that.
At first I felt a little frustrated because I didn't know how to come up with powerful words to describe a man whose life seems to be made up of a series of naughty shenanigans followed by a mischievous smirk.
But then I realized this is the theme of his life. Our scraps of recollections are the essence of him. It is his fabric.
For me, it's as though all these sweet and humorous moments are pieces of patchwork sewn together with a needle and thread, stitching fragments into an exquisite and colorful quilt, a quilt as breath-taking as the ones made tirelessly by my grandma.
And each intricate patch captures one aspect of him and the long and fulfilling life he led.
That's how I finally understood why everyone I spoke to about grandpa kept going back to these specks of memories – they couldn't find the right words to describe how remarkable he was and how strongly he'd touched them, so they fell back on a little story or expression that they felt best summed him up.
But the truth is, it's like experiencing a masterpiece like the Sistine Chapel – the beauty of it is too much to process, so we have to break it down into segments to describe it.
Well, grandpa was a masterpiece. He was a work of art. He was a symphony.
And the beautiful quilt that is his life is one that he earned, and for those that knew him best, that patchwork of memories will keep us warm when we need an embrace.

Devon Bourque

To the children of Mr. Sammy,I send my condolences to you.I knew your father as a good man, my brother-in-law Guy Fryoux and my sister, Mamma Faye cared very much for him.Their children didn't know anything until I saw the post after 9a.m.Sat.and called Tracy Jo.May God give you all peace at this time.

We are so very sorry for your loss.  Mr. Sammy was a special man and a true Southern gentleman.  Our mutual friend and shared love of old cars brought us together, and it has been a blessing to have shared life's journey with him.  We enjoyed many wonderful visits, good meals and lots of laughter with him and Mrs. Margaret through the years. May God bless all of you at this sad time.

Gary,
Your dad, as I remember, was a caring personality, willing to share of himself. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the family.
Arlene and Jim Hodges

Sandra,Donnie and Gary, So sorry to hear of Mr Bourque passing. He was one of the sweetest men that I every knew. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

Sandra, I'm so sorry for your loss.  It sounds like your Dad was a wonderful man and I know you will miss him.  I will keep you and your family in my prayers.  Love, Meridel Cimo

One of the best Masons and personnel mentor.  Go easy Sammy, you will be missed.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Samuel J Bourque

24 juillet 1920 – 26 juin 2013

Greenoaks Funeral Home & Memorial Park

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