Sam was born on September 8, 1937, in Portland. He grew up in St. Johns on N. Princeton Avenue. Dad graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1955 at the age of 17.
He married the love of his life, Sharon Parker, when he was 20 years old, in August 1958. Together, they raised their family of two boys near Columbia Park in north Portland. Even after Sam and Sharon moved to SW Portland in 1991, Sam always considered himself a North Portland resident!
Sam’s interest in bowling became a lifetime hobby. It started when he was a teenager setting pins by hand at St. Johns Bowling Lanes. He won the 1954 state junior bowling championship (team doubles) and eventually rolled a 299 game. He was so good that he was offered sponsorship to go professional. Instead, he chose a life with Sharon, raising a family. However, he bowled in many leagues in subsequent years.
Sam developed an interest in running when it was still a niche hobby. He would train hard in all weather, competing in and finishing road races like the Seaside Marathon and Cascade Run-off.
During the 1970s, Sam was a little league coach to many kids and a strong mentor and example to those he coached or knew him. Everybody knew “Coach.” He won two league championships in the Columbia Park Little League in 1971 and 1972.
Sam was employed in the lumber industry for over 35 years, retiring in 1999. Some of the companies he worked for were Timber Structures, North Pacific Lumber, and Georgia-Pacific.
Sam moved back to St. Johns in 2022, after Sharon passed away. He wanted to be in familiar territory; he wanted to feel back at home. St. Johns provided that for him in the final years he was with us.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon; his parents, Clayton and Gladys; and his sister, Beverly Raya. His parents and sister were lifetime residents of St. Johns.
He is survived by his two sons, Tony (Tess) and Jim; his sister, Carol Boles; his sister-in-law, Shirley Schick; his granddaughter, Amanda; three great-grandsons; and numerous nephews and nieces.
Sam lived his life on his own terms, his way, until the end.
