Al was born on March 4, 1933 in Plattsburg, New York to Alfred and Florence Samuelson. After graduating high school, Al attended Siena College before joining the United States Navy in 1953. Following boot camp in Bainbridge, Maryland, Al became interested in and attended electrician’s school. During his years in the Navy, Al served on the attack cargo ship USS Libra and the destroyer USS Healy. While with the military, Al traveled to eastern and central Europe, as well as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Guantanamo Bay, and spent time stationed in both Texas and New Hampshire, before his honorable discharge in 1961.
Al began working for IBM building computers in 1959 in Poughkeepsie, New York. Al married his wife of 30 years, Abigail, in 1957. During his 30 years with IBM, Al’s job assignments took him and his family to North Carolina and Colorado, before settling in Tucson, Arizona in 1979. Al received many awards from IBM in his role as advisory engineer.
After retiring from IBM in 1989, Al started wood turning as a hobby. He enjoyed designing and creating beautiful bowls for family and friends, and offered his creations at various shops throughout Tucson and nearby Tubac. Al loved spending his free time in Sabino Canyon, including volunteering as a Forest Service guide at Sabino Canyon Recreational Center for several years, and at his cabin at Mt. Lemmon. He had only recently relocated to Gilbert, Az after residing in Tucson for nearly 40 years.
Al is preceded in death by his wife Abigail and son John (“Jack”).
Al is survived by his sister Karoline Taaffe of Daytona Beach, FL and brother Tom Samuelson of Hampton, NH; his daughter Jill (Dean) Dole and grandson Davis of Gilbert, Az; son James (Stephanie) Samuelson, grandsons Hale and Carter, and granddaughter Claire, of Tempe, Arizona; extended family Jon, Lainie, Jesse, and Lindsey Church, of Gilbert, Az; Ken, Stacey, Kassidy and Kohl Skarison of Tucson, Az; and many other nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
Al will be fondly remembered as a loving father, grandfather and brother, a proud Norwegian descendent, a loyal fan of Arizona Wildcat basketball and football, and a patriot and US Navy veteran.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, November 1, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. at East Lawn Palms Cemetery in Tucson, Arizona (5801 East Grant Road, Tucson, Az 85712). Memorial contributions may be made to the “Honor Flight Network” or “Friends of Sabino Canyon.”
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