Samuel J. Harelson

Sam, or S.J., as he was known to friends and family, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. He was born in Rosedale on Dec. 25, 1919, to Rita Triche and Samuel James Harelson. After the family moved to Baton Rouge, he attended school and LSU. During World War II, Sam served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He returned to Baton Rouge and went to work at Exxon as a lab technician. He was a member of Sherwood Forest Country Club and served as secretary for the board of directors for many years. Sam is survived by two sons, Dr. Samuel James "Tinker" Harelson and his wife, Christy Pokorny Harelson, of Ventress, and Michael Garig Harelson, of Shreveport; two grandchildren, Dr. Julie Harelson, her husband, Richmond Enright, and their daughter, Lillian Drew, all of Savannah, Ga., and Jeffrey Todd, his wife, Jennifer Rogge, and their son, Samuel Rogge Harelson, all of Chapel Hill, N.C.; and sister, Alice H. Wax. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy C. "Dottie" Harelson; parents; two sisters, Eva Mae H. Dyer and Hazel H. Williams; and brother, Walter W. Harelson. There will be no services as requested by the family. Donations may be made to one's favorite charity.