passed away at Norman Regional Hospital. His indomitable will couldn't help him with this last fight.
Sam was born in Brooklyn, NY., son of Evelyn and Solomon Friedman.
He has left his mark on various communities from there to Norman, Oklahoma, where he lived since 1971. In his youth he developed a passion for classical music
and it remained a life long love. He was also an avid Brooklyn Dodger's fan.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from Brooklyn College
in 1950 and earned a master’s degree in geology from the Ohio State University in 1952.
His first professional job was as a coal geologist at the Indiana Geological Survey. In those years, he married Regina Skaggs and had 2 children, daughter Yaël and son Aaron. The family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where he worked at the U.S. Bureau of Mines from 1967 to 1971.
From 1971 to 1995, at the Oklahoma Geological Survey, he was a
coal geologist and Adjunct Professor of Geology at the University of Oklahoma.
Samuel Arthur Friedman ranks high among America’s most respected geologists. He was a noted authority on the stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Middle Pennsylvanian Period of the Paleozoic Era, a time before dinosaurs, 300 million years ago, when most of Earth’s major bituminous coal beds were laid down.
In 1988, he married Evelyn Healey, and they enjoyed 32 loving years. Together, they attended the Oklahoma City Philharmonic concerts, OU plays and concerts, religious events, and traveled many places. Sam was an enthusiastic Lion's Club member for 48 years.
He was a member of the Geological Society of America, Senior Fellow; Coal Geology Division, American Association of Petroleum Geologists; Energy Minerals Division, and three other professional organizations.
Sam received the Distinguished Founders Award, Energy Minerals Division, AAPG, the Distinguished Service Award, Geological Society of America, and four other awards and honors. In recognition of his extensive contributions to the science and literature of geology, and of his generous commitment to the advancement of his profession, the faculty of Brooklyn College awarded him the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1995. He published 98 scientific and technical articles in his geological specialties.
Sam is survived by his “precious gems”, his wife, Evelyn Friedman; children Aaron Friedman and Mother M. Benedykta, born Yaël; step-children Jim Healey (Faride), Siobhan Miller (Mark), Kate Bailey; grandchildren Sarah Herley (Kyle), Chava Gaynor, Akiva Kirkpatrick, Hannah Bailey, Alex Bailey;
great-grandchildren Liam, Ella, Brooklyn, Akiva, Alina, Genesis. Sam was predeceased by his parents Solomon and Evelyn; and his brother Jerry.
The graveside funeral service for Sam will be Friday, September 25, 10:00 am at the Temple B'nai Israel Memorial Cemetery on Kelley and Memorial. The funeral service for Sam be seen at the Temple B'nai Israel website:https://thetempleokc.shulcloud.com/live-stream-video.html
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Sam's memory be made
to Temple B'nai Israel in Oklahoma City.
