Samuel A Guccione

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as you ever can.” John Wesley

This motto defined the life of Dr. Samuel Anthony Guccione, Ed.D., 79, who passed from this life on December 17, 2020, in Carrollton, Texas. Preceded in death by his loving, faithful wife of 56 years, Linda Gay Tooley (Guccione), he is already missed by his daughters and their families: Diane Michelle (Steve) VanMinsel, grandson, Josh, of Shalimar, Florida; and great-granddaughter, Natalie; and Christine Marie (David) Peek, and grandson, Jacob, of Irving, Texas; and his brothers: John Guccione and wife Lois of Godfrey, Illinois, and Tom Guccione, of Wood River, Illinois. He is also preceded in death by his parents.

Sam, as he was most commonly known, was born on Saturday, May 31, 1941, in Granite City, Illinois, to Anthony and Margaret (Morgan) Guccione. He married the love of his life, Linda Gay Tooley on April 1, 1963. Sam and Linda Gay were faithfully devoted to each other for 56 years, honoring their vows to love each other through good times and bad times, in sickness and health, until her death parted them.

The first in his family to graduate from high school, he went all the way, receiving his Bachelors and Master’s Degrees of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Doctorate in Education from Temple University. He loved to remind his family that he was a doctor and so we should salute him.

As a young boy, Sam had aspirations of going into space or into the Air Force, but his limited vision prevented that. Fortunately, his career allowed him a glimpse of space, beginning at McDonnell-Douglas, where he was an engineer developing antenna systems for the Saturn booster rocket for the Gemini IV-VI space capsule. The bulk of his career was spent teaching at Delaware Technical and Community College (1974-2000) and Eastern Illinois University (2000-2010) where he chaired the math, science, and engineering departments and taught associate, bachelor, and master’s degree level engineering courses. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he went on to co-author a book - “Human Machine Interface” with fellow EIU professor, James McKirahan. It is available on Amazon for purchase (shameless plug).

Dad possessed that rare combination of compassion and intelligence. This was most evident as he patiently worked with students at Delaware Technical Community College, Terry Campus (DTCC) and Eastern Illinois University (EIU), where he would spend time outside of the classroom, office hours, and on the weekends helping his students move from knowledge to application. Explaining complicated material on any level, Dad was patient and kind, seeing where his students were struggling and helping them to overcome. A lifelong learner, he frequently said, “Knowledge is power”. He was always on the pursuit for more knowledge.

Dad loved space, going to the movies, NASA, Dunkin Donuts coffee and chocolate-frosted donuts, Pickle Ball, hankies, playing pool, Star Wars and Star Trek, pizza with lots of veggies, and technology.

Sam’s passion in life was ham. Not the pork kind, but ham radio. He was a licensed amateur operator (they call each other “hams”) with the call sign K3BY. While this was a form of recreation, it was also a place where he felt called to serve. Before internet and cell phone towers, radio frequencies were used for contact. Whenever phone lines were down, hams were called in to assist First Responders. Many a time when the family lived in Delaware, Sam would leave the house in the middle of a snowstorm to assist police with finding and rescuing stranded travelers. He enjoyed fox hunts (where a transmitter was buried and the hams would follow the frequency to discover the transmitter.) Another favorite within his ham passion was Field Day, which involved a bunch of guys camping out and talking to each other about ham radio. Sam was nearly a lifelong member of ARRL, the professional organization for amateur radio, and was thrilled to be a member of the ham radio club in whatever city he lived in, with his final membership in MCARA, the Biloxi, Mississippi club, where he met good friends Gary (Michele) Bahret and Gus (Jewel) Kastrantas. These men left a lasting impact on Sam’s life and he counts them among his blessings.

While living in Mississippi, Sam was a member of First United Methodist Church of Gulfport, lovingly dubbed, “First Church”, and was active in their Methodist Men’s Group (or “Meth Men” as he called it). We promise that Meth was short for Methodist! This talented group would complete repairs around the church building and serve in their community. Each member of the group was special to Dad, and he enjoyed serving alongside these hard-working, faithful servants.

Over their 56 years of marriage, Sam and Linda Gay lived in Huntington Beach, California; St. Louis, Missouri; Champaign, Illinois; Annapolis, Maryland; Camden, Delaware; Charleston, Illinois; and Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi. Following his wife’s passing in 2019, Sam moved to Irving, Texas, at the end of February 2020, just two weeks before the pandemic struck. Much of his exposure to the area was limited to his retirement community, but he made friends there and has left a lasting impact on all who met him. A favorite activity here were the exercise classes with Desmond. Before the shutdown, he was able to see his daughter every day and spent time with his son-in-law and grandson, going to family dinners and church together. Sam appreciated the superhero staff and residents in his community, who embraced him warmly and saw him through all of the challenges that 2020 held. The family is grateful and humbled by the selfless acts of service displayed by the staff at MacArthur Hills, with special mention of Heidi Rhone and Marie Wirsiy. You are essential, not only for what you do but because of who you are.

During the last weeks of his life, Dad was extremely well cared for by many at Medical City Las Colinas - the ER staff who helped him to be admitted, surgical staff, 2nd floor doctors, nurses, med techs, housekeeping, therapists, charge nurses, security, nurse leaders - even NICU nurses! Each and every one of you is essential. The loving care and respect with which you treated him did not go unnoticed. You gave him baths, sang to him, massaged his arms, legs, and feet, nicknamed him Poppy, stayed with him overnight so his daughters could go home and rest for the next long day, and encouraged him to strive for optimal health. Thank you for teaching us how to love and serve with compassion and grace.

Dad’s care was turned over to Vitas Hospice at Carrollton Regional Medical Center, where he was treated with comfort care through the end of his life. Though he was with you a short time, we learned much from your servant hearts and your commitment to your patients and families. You are essential.

Donations in Sam’s honor can be made to First United Methodist Church of Gulfport “Meth Men” and MCARA (Mississippi Coast Amateur Radio Association).

A private family service will be held at a future date in Charleston, Illinois. Comments may be left for the family at RollingOaksFuneralHome.com.

His family and friends will love and miss Sam for the rest of their lives. Because we knew you, we have been changed for good.

Now in the world of ham radio operators, the man who held the call sign K3BY, becomes a silent key. 73.