ForeverMissed
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This memorial website is created for our  loved one, Samuel Pilch, 76, who passed away on November 17, 2010 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.  He leaves behind three children—Jeff, Jennifer, and Lisa—and grandchildren Claudia and Linnea.  He is also survived by his son-in-law, David, and daughter-in-law, Gelila, his three sisters in New Jersey--Minnie, Estelle, and Paulie--as well as his nieces and nephews Richard, Reid, Suzanne, Susie, Cheryl, Stacy, Shari.  He will be greatly missed.

June 15, 2023
June 15, 2023
Jen and David, sorry to read of your dad’s passing! I lost my dad in 2019, just before the pandemic, cancer too. From the pictures, it looks like your father had a full life, as mine did, gratefully. I also see that the 2 of you have 2 daughters, as Irma and I do- Isabella just finished her first year at college, and Julia her first year of high school. Hard to believe it’s almost 25 years since I met you both in the booths at OUEST during our first staff meeting!!! I’m sure you’re wondering: tell Dave I was watching a replay of an old Red Sox game and saw curt schilling— it made me think of him!!! Hope you all are still a couple of kooky kids having fun and talking dirty!!! Civilization has taken some strange turns since we last roamed the corners of that “filthy” domain. I hope you’re still making your own rules and living free. I’m still trying to do my part here in nyc! Best wishes, jay
August 19, 2022
August 19, 2022
Missing you bop bop.
We talk about you all the time.
Im a teenager now. God the days go by so damn fast.
We love you!
Linnea. Now Alex caton
November 17, 2019
November 17, 2019
Happy birthday Uncle Sam. Recently I got to see Jeff and Jennifer after 30 plus years. It was wonderful! We spoke about you and reminisced about old times. So great to see them again.
Love, Stacey
December 12, 2017
December 12, 2017
Happy Hanukkah, Dad. We lit the menorah you gave us at sun down. I made homemade latkes and your favorite, meatloaf. We miss you. xxoo
November 17, 2017
November 17, 2017
Sam you are still in my heart. All those times with music and our buddies at Ellison Field and Cecil Field Jacksonville .
Peace and blessings to all your family.
April 25, 2017
April 25, 2017
Hi Uncle Sam! Your oldest sister turns 90 in a few months. We're gonna throw her a party. We'll all be thinking of you. Love you.

Cheryl
April 22, 2017
April 22, 2017
Dear Bopop,
I'm your grand daughter. I love you. You are strong. I wish we could hang out and know each other.
XOXOXO,
Linnea
April 21, 2017
April 21, 2017
Hey buddy, all your friends at the coffee shop miss you, but I know you are having fun somewhere!
Your old buddy Greg
November 17, 2015
November 17, 2015
Miss you, Dad. We all miss you! So much love, Jennifer
September 18, 2015
September 18, 2015
You may be away some where but you and our friendship remain in my heart.
April 20, 2015
April 20, 2015
Hi Uncle Sam,
Was on the lower east side this weekend with friends and thinking of you and your sisters growing up. You'd get a kick out of how much it's changed. We miss you, especially my mom. Happy birthday. Love to Aunt Esther. Cheryl
April 20, 2015
April 20, 2015
Hey Sam! Happy birthday from your coffee shop and computer buddy!

Greg
December 23, 2014
December 23, 2014
We had some good times at the coffee shop, talking computers and just plain stuff. I've uploaded some pictures I had. I'll remember the good times Sam.

Greg Elmassian
November 17, 2014
November 17, 2014
Four years? Can't believe it. We all miss you Uncle Sam, especially my mom, who talks about you all the time. Love you, Cheryl
November 17, 2014
November 17, 2014
Thinking of you Uncle Sam. We miss and love you. Stacey
November 17, 2014
November 17, 2014
Many have told me that with the passing years, it gets easier losing a loved one. For me, it gets more difficult. 4 years already - oy vey !
April 22, 2014
April 22, 2014
The big 8-0. You would've gotten a kick out of that.
Miss you Uncle Sam. Think about you often.
Hope you and Ma are getting along. Don't be so hard on her...she's nervous..lol and no smoking. Rich
November 17, 2013
November 17, 2013
Hi Uncle Sam,
It seems like you were just here in NJ visiting us, talking to me about writing, life. You were so caring, kind...unless there was no half & half in the house for your coffee; then you went ballistic! Hope you and Aunt Esther are sharing lots of coffee and half & half. Miss you. Cheryl
June 3, 2013
June 3, 2013
Sam,
You were a very good friend. We must have had coffee a hundred times. We talked about everything. You were SO funny. Such a wise guy. So smart, creative. Most of all you had a huge heart. You will always be one of my best friends ever. Love, Robert
April 21, 2013
April 21, 2013
1974, 1975, 1976  you would pick me up from school and take me to opening day for the Reds. I would get to miss 1/2 the day. You would have to take grief from the attendance office. LOL
Boy, was that special.  Happy Birthday
November 17, 2012
November 17, 2012
Dear Uncle Sam,
We all miss you so very much....your name was spoken about a hundred times last night! And we all looked at so many amazing pictures of you with my Mom although I know you both are together right now smiling down on all of us. 
Love, Reid
November 17, 2012
November 17, 2012
On the second anniversary of your death, Dad, I miss you more than ever. The kids miss you. We love you.
June 17, 2012
June 17, 2012
Happy Fathers Day ! Wow, the Padres are awful this year. I remember the first game we ever went to was the Reds versus the Padres in 1974.
April 20, 2012
April 20, 2012
Well, happy birthday grandpa. I am now in fourth grade and it just seems like yesterday that my dad told me that you passed away. I always think of you and I wish you were here right now.
                      love,
                   Claudia
April 20, 2012
April 20, 2012
You raised me on some humanistic fundamentals that help me today in so many ways live a life of tremendous value ! Allow me to give but one example. At age of 6, I heard a racist comment in school and then used it at home----wow, did I receive a stern lecture from you about why this was a unethical and evil thing to do. Thanks for all you did.
January 1, 2012
January 1, 2012
Will never forget your bachelor apartment in Cherry Hill, N.J. To me..you were the coolest uncle in the world. I remember your red sports car and that neat poster from your time in Spain. The last time we spoke you wished me well with Holly. The family misses u greatly,
November 17, 2011
November 17, 2011
Dear "Bopbop" (Grandpa Sam),
I miss you. It has been hard celebrating holidays without you. When you came over you brought a Julian Pie with ice cream and Pelligrino water. You were the best singer. I love you.
Love, Claudia

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Recent Tributes
June 15, 2023
June 15, 2023
Jen and David, sorry to read of your dad’s passing! I lost my dad in 2019, just before the pandemic, cancer too. From the pictures, it looks like your father had a full life, as mine did, gratefully. I also see that the 2 of you have 2 daughters, as Irma and I do- Isabella just finished her first year at college, and Julia her first year of high school. Hard to believe it’s almost 25 years since I met you both in the booths at OUEST during our first staff meeting!!! I’m sure you’re wondering: tell Dave I was watching a replay of an old Red Sox game and saw curt schilling— it made me think of him!!! Hope you all are still a couple of kooky kids having fun and talking dirty!!! Civilization has taken some strange turns since we last roamed the corners of that “filthy” domain. I hope you’re still making your own rules and living free. I’m still trying to do my part here in nyc! Best wishes, jay
August 19, 2022
August 19, 2022
Missing you bop bop.
We talk about you all the time.
Im a teenager now. God the days go by so damn fast.
We love you!
Linnea. Now Alex caton
November 17, 2019
November 17, 2019
Happy birthday Uncle Sam. Recently I got to see Jeff and Jennifer after 30 plus years. It was wonderful! We spoke about you and reminisced about old times. So great to see them again.
Love, Stacey
Recent stories
September 18, 2015

I am so saddened to find my pal, buddie, Dear Friend here. I looked and looked unsuccessfully for years to find Sam. I was born 5 days before Sam and we used to say how lucky we were to have missed April 1st :) We spent so many hours together - Listening to, Playing at joints, traveling to NYC and Boston to hear the greats of "JAZZ, man JAZZ"
We were first together at HTU! Ellison Field Pensacola Fl - I was sent to sea duty and when I returned I was sent to Cecil Field Jacksonville. When I got off the USS Coral Sea at Mayport Fl --- There he was on the dock ! Sam the Man Pilch. We joined up with a small jazz group - me guitar, Sam on Drums and were there until I was discharged 6/23/56

During the Jacksonville period I traveled home with Sam and stayed for several days in the Bronx - There was nothing like seeing NYC Jazz with Sam - especially with a guy whose dad was a cab driver - Sam had the magic phone number
 just gave a call and Dad showed up and took us on to the next stop.

Here is a inside story - When were  traveling to NY on the train Sam told me he was a little worried about bringing me home because I was not Jewish ! - So he told me he was going to introduce me as Dick Shapiro  That made me very nervous as I am Scotch.  Anyway it was just a ruse and Sam and his mother in their other tongue had a great time with the little joke and on the second morning told me their ploy and it was a great laff for them - a great relief for me!

There was so much fun and so many things to remember - We were walking along B'way and coming towards us was Ed Sullivan - Sam - dragging me right along just waklked right up to him and said " Hi Mr Sullivan I happened to notice you and I was wondering who you were going to have on you show this week - This is my friend Dick and we home on leave fron the Navy for a few days - I figured Ed would would call a cop - but he didn't - he chatted with us for a minute or two - shook hands - and went on his way - and that was just the way it was with Sam - he had big brass one's if the situation callrd for it!

back north after - Navy Discharge 
I was working with a tree removal outfit in Framingham Ma and playing in several of the clubs in the area waiting to get into college in the fall semester.  Sam called one  day - hopped on a train in NY and got off in Framingham.  We spent a couple of days doing the Boston Jazz clubs and Sam went back to NYC

About a year or so later I was married  and on the Thanksgiving weekend after I called Sam and my new wife and I drove to NYC - got together with Bob Mello [another sailor we were with in Jacksonville era] went out for dinner and then to Birdland for the evening - so that is the picture I have and downloaded here.

So we had no place to stay so we spent the night on a matress on the floor in Sam's folks living room - it was fun - first about 2:00 AM in come Sams father who thought it was probably one of his daughters bunking in - woke us up and scared the heck out of us !!  Sam got up and explained the whole thing and we settled down again  -  Then somwhere in the early hours  an elderly man [I think he was Sam's grandfather] came shuffeling along with a string of little pots and things around his neck and also tried to figure out what was going on - It now seems hillarious - I hope you all are laffing ?

After that Sam dropped out of sight and I supposed it was the same for me - college work family - but I never saw Sam again - with the computer age I began looking for Sam everywhere and yesterday hit on this memorial site

There is still the dearest place in my heart for Sam and I am thankful to have at least been able to re-live these thougts here with all of you.

I am now 81 - I do not play Guitar very much - once in a while to sit in somewhere or to amuse myself and sing my wife a song - We are the couple on the left of the Birdland pix

I will be happy to hear from any and all and reminice or answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely, Dick  k1qiz@yahoo.com
 

December 23, 2014

When I met Sam, you could tell by his build he did something pretty physical in his life, it took me several years to pull it out of him, and even more to get the picture of him doing the lift and this clipping from 1959, notice about 2/3 of the way down, he actually did a new record lift of 245 pounds in the press category.

December 23, 2014

I remember Sam talking about how he gave Ginger a bath, he'd take her out to the park when the grass was wet. She was so "low slung" the wet grass would just wash off the undercarriage, so to speak. He always laughed about Ginger running the in the wet grass that was about as tall as she was.

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