Newsgram

Long-time City employee and neighborhood leader Sam K. Green passed away peacefully on Jan. 2, 2012.  Here's the tribute paid to Sam in the program for his Memorial Mass at St. Roch Catholic Church:

Sam Green was born on February 9, 1942, and was preceded in death by his mother Lorain.  Married to Lucille Schoemehl Green for 39 years.  Father of Mary Lou, Melissa, Charles, Maureen (Dave) Cunningham, Laura (Charles) Chaplinski.  Grandfather to Megan & David Cunningham, Brian & Maria Green, Brandon & Loring Shelburg & Ashley Chaplinski.  Brother of Tim, Robert and J.D., brother-in-law, uncle, great uncle and great-great uncle to many who will miss him.  Special friend to Neville and JoAnn Vatcha & Family, the McNamara Family and Margaret Welch.

Sam served as President of the 28th Ward Democrats and was active in the Skinker-DeBaliviere Neighborhood and a former St. Louis Ambassador.  Sam worked as a Housing Analyst for the Community Development Administration of St. Louis and was proud that he was helping to "build neighborhoods."  He had also worked for the Collector of Revenue.

Sam loved the cabin, fishing, boating at the Lake, playing golf, and telling a really bad pun.  Besides his love for his family, Sam's other great love was his bus, somehow convincing Lu it was the only vehicle big enough to fit the entire family he'd married.  It was a little tricky getting it down that long windy road at Circle B Campground but not nearly as much of a challenge as getting it into the parking lot at Velvet Freeze every Sunday

Sam was loved by many who felt the privilege to have known him and shared his friendship.  Sam's love for his family and friends was evident in everything that he did.  Sam was a gentle person who never had an unkind word and never met a stranger. 

Sam used to say that when he married Lu, he was fortunate to have married a ready made family.  The family felt we were the fortunate ones.  The appreciation for Sam was apparent as he was surrounded by 35 loved ones when he died.  Sam enjoyed life and was always willing to share of himself.  Sam and Lu always had love to share and opened their home to others.  In addition to teaching several of the 35 people in the room how to drive, he taught us how to bait a hook, change a flat tire, ride a bike, build a pond and make starvation stew.  Sam taught us how to give of ourselves, how to treat others, lend a helping hand and most importantly to be a good friend.

Memorial Contributions Appreciated

M.A.A.P. (Midwest Adult Autism Project), c/o Center for Head Injury Services, 11786 Westline Industrial Dr., St. Louis, MO  63146

Brightside St. Louis, 4646 Shenandoah Avenue, St. Louis, MO  63110

Brain Injury Association of Missouri, 10270 Page, St. Louis, MO  63132

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