Samuel Ira Spector passed away on March 13 in his sleep at the age of 93. Sam was born in New York City where he lived until he volunteered for the U. S. Army in World War II and served in the OSS in Burma (Myanmar). After the war he relocated to Washington DC to serve in the CIA where he met and married Virginia Elliott, who grew up in Rome. Following his marriage, Sam completed his doctorate of laws from American University, he and Virginia moved to London with the CIA where their daughter Julie was born. The family moved to Rome in 1955 where Sam joined his father-in-law, B S. Elliott in the development of the Garden Lakes community. Sam and Virginia’s son Tom was born in Rome in 1957. In the 1960s Sam earned his Doctorate in Business Administration from Georgia State University and began as a professor at Berry College. At Berry, Sam became head of the School of Business where he eventually initiated the M. B. A. program. In the 1970s, Sam returned to real estate as owner of Garden Lakes Realty and became an active member of the local business community. He served as President of the Chamber of Commerce and Rome Homebuilders Association. He retired from active daily work in the 1990s but he continued to serve the community and received an honorary doctorate from Berry College in 2008. Sam and Virginia celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2017. They loved to travel--having visited all seven continents—and continued to travel until last year. Active by nature, he took up snow skiing and continued to ski into his 80s. Sam, Virginia and his family were looking forward to his participation in the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor ceremony awarded the OSS on March 21, at the U. S. Capitol.
Sam was a much beloved family man, and devoted husband and father.
Funeral arrangements are through Daniels’ Funeral Home. An open memorial service will be held Saturday, March 17, 2018, 2:00 PM, at Frost Chapel on the Berry College Mountain Campus with Rev. Barry Lusk officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations to, Enrollment Management, P.O. Box 5047, Mount Berry, Georgia 30149-5047, ear marked for the Sam Spector Scholarship Fund at Berry College.
Please visit our website at www.daniels-funeralhome.com to share memories and post tributes.
Daniel’s Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
