Samuel Williams Carmack

Samuel Williams Carmack was born March 26, 1921 to Samuel Williams Carmack III and Esther White Summers. Sam grew up and completed school in Gould, OK where he was involved in many activities, recognized for his many achievements and selected salutatorian of his senior class. After graduating from Gould High School, Sam graduated from Cameron College in Lawton, Oklahoma where he earned a degree in business. He then attended the University Oklahoma in Norman where he was drafted into the Army Air Corp his senior year and assigned to the Chemical Warfare Division in Columbus, Mississippi. Sam became an instructor in protection from poisonous gas used in warfare. While training a group of Women’s Army Air Corp, WAACs, Sam met Hazel Maxwell, the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. They were married January 9, 1945 at the Columbus Air Force Base chapel. Sam and Maxie both obtained the rank of Sergeant. After spending two years in Columbus, Sam was assigned to Denver, CO for training as an aerial gunner on America’s newest advanced bomber, the B29. The war ended 2 weeks prior to Sam being sent to Japan. After the war, Hazel (Maxie) and Sam returned to Sam’s home town of Gould, Oklahoma where they owned and operated the Harmon County Grain Elevators. After the largest of the elevators was destroyed by fire, Sam, Maxie and their four daughters moved to Childress, Texas where Sam pursued a career in banking. He spent 25 years in the banking profession with many of the years spent as president of the First National Bank in Childress. He also served on the Board of Directors of the bank for many years. While in Childress, Mr. Carmack was very active in the community. He was a faithful member of First Baptist Church for 25 years where he was a member of the choir, taught Sunday School and served as a volunteer youth director along with his wife, Maxie. Mr. Carmack was a member of the Childress Rotary Club, the American Legion, the Jaycees and the Masonic Lodge. Mr. Carmack was on the Board of Directors of the Childress Chamber of Commerce, the Four Winds Industrial Foundation, the Childress Housing Authority and served as president of the Childress Chamber of Commerce. Sam also served as president of the Banker's Association of the Greenbelt Area. He was also named to the Greenbelt Bowl Hall of Fame for his many years of service. Sam retired as president of First National Bank of Childress in 1985. In 1994, Sam and Maxie moved to San Angelo to be near family. Sam was a wonderful father, grandfather (Grandpa/Pop) and great-grandfather (Grandpa Sam/Sam-pa) to his four daughters, nine grandkids and 12 great grandkids. A special time for Sam’s daughters was the annual summer trip to Red River, NM where they helped their dad gather wood, pump water and carry it all back to the cabin to prepare meals on a wood-burning stove. Sam was special to his grandkids. They always spent part of the summer in Childress with their Grandpa and Grandma. Grandpa and Grandma always had many activities planned for their visits. The grandkids looked forward to catching butterflies with homemade nets, feeding ducks in the city park and picking apples from the apple tree in the backyard. During one visit, Grandpa instructed the grandkids not to throw the apples against the house. That looked like a lot of fun to the grandsons. They found out what it meant to be in trouble with Grandpa when they disobeyed. This was one of the few times anyone saw Grandpa’s unhappy side. The visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s house was always special. Sam will always be remembered as a wonderful father, a fun grandpa and a loving great grandpa who had an unending love for his family. He will be greatly missed.

Sam was a member of Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo.

Sam was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Hazel (Maxie) Maxwell Carmack; mother, Esther Carmack; father, Samuel Williams Carmack III; sister, Martha Norwood; brother, Robert Carmack. Survivors include four daughters, nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Daughters: Earla Lowe and husband Richard of Burleson, Texas, Marsha Farrell and husband Rod of Greenville, South Carolina, and Linda Ross and husband Randall and Dawna Larsson, all of San Angelo. Grandchildren: Shelley and Pete Langsdorf of Van Alstyne, Texas, Rob and Miranda Houser of San Angelo, Scott and Heidi Crawford of Simpsonville, South Carolina, Katie and Tanner Morgan of Midlothian, Texas, Kyle Crawford of Lorena, Texas, Chris and Amanda Farrell of Bedford, Texas, Courtney Black of Carrollton, Texas, Elaine and Larry Vincent of Burleson, Texas and Mike Lowe of Sterling, Oklahoma.

Memorials may be made in Sam’s memory to the Laura Bush Institute for Women’s Health 5301 Knickerbocker Suite 200, San Angelo and Hospice of San Angelo.

Funeral service is at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Southland Baptist Church with burial following in Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens. Arrangements are by Johnson’s Funeral Home.

The family would like to thank Hospice of San Angelo and his caretaker, Gloria Padilla, for their support.

Cards and condolences may be sent to 4005 Shefflera Dr., San Angelo, TX 76904.