Sam E. Cazee, Jr.

Sam Edward Cazee, 96, formerly from Terre Haute, Indiana, Clearwater Beach, Florida, and Leitchfield, Kentucky passed away peacefully into eternal rest at Norton Downtown Hospital after a short illness on Saturday, December 31, 2022. Sam is predeceased by his beloved wife, Maria Cazee, his sisters, Barbara Lundy and Jean Beavers, and his parents, Sam Cazee, Sr. and Mabel Cazee of Terre Haute, Indiana.

He is survived by his only child, daughter, Patti Barron (John), grandchildren, Melissa Gilmour (Scott), Adam Barron (Kaet), Griffin Barron (Juli), and seven great grandchildren, Jadon, Reece, Vera Grace, Xavier, Drew, Liv, and Jill Frankie. Sam is also survived by his nieces, Babs Coy, of Clearwater, Florida, Beth Solomon of Bellair, Florida, and Becky Vaughn of Largo, Florida.

Sam was a World War II veteran, having proudly served our country in the Navy, and was looking forward to being on the Honor Flight in the spring of 2023. He is a proud graduate of Loyola University in Los Angeles, California and frequently shared what a positive impact Loyola professors had on his life. Sam shared many stories of his life in Los Angeles, especially opportunities he had to meet famous people like Peter Lawford, who picked him up to give him a ride when he saw him hitchhiking (that was safe to do back in those days gone by)!

Sam was a talker; never at a loss for words, very opinionated, and he kept us all entertained as he was a great storyteller! His personable nature and strong work ethic made him a valuable professional asset, working most of his life in human resources for several companies before moving to Louisville, Kentucky from Indianapolis, Indiana in 1965 to work as Personnel Director at the old St. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital. After retiring as Director of Administrative Services, he moved to the Clearwater Beach, Florida area where he met the love of his life, Maria. They married when she was 80 and he was 74 and they enjoyed 22 years together until she passed away at 102 in April 2022. Since that time, Sam has only wanted to join her and has been ready to go. Today he has been reunited with her in heaven and they are having a great celebratory reunion.

Sam spent the last eight months of his life after his wife died, residing at Treyton Oak Towers in Louisville. We are so grateful for all of the staff and residents who welcomed and cared for him. We rarely talked to anyone who didn’t know him – Treyton Oak Towers surely is a place where everyone knows your name!

We are also so very grateful to his caregivers, Shirtika with Carebuilders and Kelly with Mercy Works. They were both godsends who made it possible for Sam to live independently up until the very end. We also are grateful for the Palliative Home Based Team from the VA, especially his nurse, Charity, and to the ER and ICU staff at Norton Hospital. We and Sam have been blessed abundantly by the kind and compassionate care of all of these people.

A visitation for Sam will be held Monday, January 9, 2023, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM followed by a funeral service beginning at 2:00 PM, all at Arch L. Heady at Resthaven Funeral Home, 4400 Bardstown Road Louisville, KY 40218.

Expressions of sympathy can be made to Hosparus of Louisville, 6200 Dutchmans Ln, Louisville, KY 40205. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.archlheadyresthaven.com for the Cazee family.