'Fearless' family man was resourceful and generous

When Gerald Roe Sams visited Australia, he bungee jumped headfirst into a gorge.

He was 81 at the time.

Nearly a decade later, he celebrated his 90th birthday one year early - just in case he didn't make it to 90. But he did.

Sams was 96 when he died Dec. 7 at his One Horse Ranch in Chicago Park. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at Chapel of the Angels Mortuary in Grass Valley.

From being a member of the intelligence service, to a prisoner of war in the Philippines, to working for Stanford Research Institute and IBM's Federal Systems Division later in life - Sams performed a variety of jobs throughout his career.

"The Sams' family motto is, 'Never say die,'" said Gerry Ann Schwede, 63, Sams' oldest daughter. "My father was absolutely fearless. He could always make things work."

Schwede lauded her father's resourceful and generosity.

"If you had a need, and he had (the thing that would meet that need), it was yours," she said. "He would give his shirt off his back."

Gerald Sams was a native of Ava, Ill. He was born May 2, 1911, to Frank Roe and Margaret Sams and raised by his grandparents, William and Catherine Sams, in rural southern Illinois.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1930 to1931 and in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1932 to 1935. He worked as a civil engineer in the Philippines right before the Japanese invasion of the Pacific. He was detained by the Japanese and held as a prisoner of war for three years and two months.

Mr. Sams met his wife, Margaret, at the prison camp in the Philippines. Their first child, Schwede, was born there. When they were liberated on Feb. 23, 1945, the Sams relocated to McLean, Va., where Sams worked in special communications.

After many years of government work, Mr. Sams created Data Optics, a technology firm that produced laser systems. He retired in 1972 and moved to Chicago Park.

Mr. Sams enjoyed working with electronic gadgets in his spare time. He liked traveling the world and enjoyed sharing stories of his life with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Gerald Sams is survived by his wife of 65 years, Margaret Coalson Sams; children Gerry Ann Schwede, 63, Ned Sams, 61, and Kathy White, 53; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Arrangements are under the direction of Chapel of the Angels.

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To contact Soumitro Sen, e-mail ssen@theunion.com or call 477-4229.