Sam L Sterrett Jr

Sam Sterrett often described his life and relationships as “adventures”. His adventures began in Breckenridge, Texas on August 12, 1926. His childhood adventures in Breckenridge, Carlsbad, New Mexico, and Jefferson, Texas strongly influenced the man he became. From his days as an Eagle Scout, he gained a love of camping. From his grandmother, a champion marksman, he developed a love of shooting, and competed with the Bayou Rifles later in life. Building on his childhood adventures in scouting and shooting, Sam became an avid hunter.

He learned to love music at Jefferson High School where he played the trumpet in the band and served as drum major during his senior year. These first musical adventures led to his participation in bell choirs and chancel choirs throughout his adult life.

He followed his parents in being an active and devoted church member. His first job as a young boy was as custodian in the church where his father was treasurer. After moving to Houston, he joined Central Presbyterian church where his mother was the church secretary. He was ordained at Central and served as ruling elder, clerk of session and committee chairman at Central and First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood for more than 50 years.

As a freshman at Rice university, he was introduced by his sister, Jean, to her best friend, Sue Warrick, and the two of them began what would become a lifelong adventure. Their relationship and his education were interrupted by World War II when he joined the Navy for an adventure aboard a 100-foot wooden supply ship in the Pacific. After discharge he returned to Sue in Houston to attend the University of Houston. He graduated in the first class from Bates College of Law at U of H and began his law practice. Sue and Sam were married in 1949 and were blessed with two daughters, Linda and Carol. This led to ballet adventures, beach adventures, occasional cave adventures, horse adventures, fishing and camping adventures, opera adventures, wedding adventures and grandkid and great grandkid adventures. Of course, there were a few misadventures as well. The shares in the New Mexico copper mine which could not be excavated due to instability of the mountain and the tribe of angry Native Americans who considered the property theirs qualified as a true misadventure.

Through all these adventures, Sam proved himself a noble man of God. He loved his Lord, his family, his church, the Old Fat Men’s Bible Study class, justice, democracy, souffle and blackberry cobbler. He was a scholar, a skeptic, a gentleman and a very funny man. He was humble, witty, kind, scary smart and a good cook. He was a keen judge of character, a skill he applied liberally with his family, his friends and candidates for ordination. He did everything decently and in order.

In his last months, Sam looked forward to the “next adventure” when he would join Sue in heaven and begin to address his long list of questions with the apostle, Paul. We like to think he is doing that now, preparing for the next perfect adventure when we join him.