We are currently arranging a memorial service--there may be more than one--and details will be posted on this site as soon as they are determined.
At this point the only thing we can say for certain is that there will NOT be a service this weekend.
As we are able, we will post pictures and other memories of Sam. Please feel free to do the same.
Tributes
Leave a tributeAs the world is introduced to the company and the power it will wield as a household name it will, underneath have a lot of your ideas and heart included, that's for sure.
Your encouragement and support is a huge part of what made this happen and it will never be forgotten. Might even superimpose you into one of the commercials! You always wanted to be in one and maybe that dream can be realized.
Unfortunately, your request that Feisty came to me never realized itself, but I have been assured that Feisty is being cared for and so I have to believe it is. It's strange how so many of your ...predictions came true. We should have done what we planned in so far as having your living will be taken care of just as you had me as your only emergency contact, but how were we to know that you would be taken from me so early...We always knew the possibility, but I guess it's just something that you don't want to think about. Its a lesson to us all to document and make clear what we desire in all our lives in the event that the universe decides 'it's our time'. Your 'time' on this Earth was an 'event', a 'movie' to say the least. My producer is planning on documenting the events of my life that only you and I know about and I can assure you that you will have "your role of a lifetime'. It will be produced by one of the biggest in the business and more than likely at one point be a part of the Cannes festival...so there is at least that! You never needed '15 minutes of fame" because your whole life was one big documentary!LOL
So, when this happens I will keep you informed in my prayers as I always do..as I think back on all our adventures and TRUE brotherhood that we both cherished so much.
I love you....and miss you dearly.
But, Bonanza hands down was his fav tv show, that and iron side, Quincy, magnum p.i. Columbo, then there was Steven Segal I'd have to endure as nasuem!! lol
Please "friend" me on Facebook if you'd like. I don't use it much..but I'd love to speak with you about some of the stories because I still plan on somehow fulfilling our dream of writing the book. I'm sure you would have tons of good stuff for the book.
I know for sure that you were one of Sams favorite friends by far. You were brought up quite a bit along with a few others.
We were so messed up one morning and he and I had just finished a fun night in downtown Lake Worth where he had to carry me (and dropped me on my head numerous times!) I had spent an obscene amount of money at an expensive wine tasting spot and was buying bottles for everyone in the place..even though I had spent easily over $1000 in wine we were both kicked out because he tried to escape out with me over his shoulder (I'm only 5'4") and run down the avenue until they caught up. Somehow Sam convinced them to just let us go because we had already paid for the majority of the bottles. I think the last one was a bottle ofCaymus special selection and a bottle of Orin Swift The Prisoner... Sam kept telling people that I was some kind of tech billionaire in town and of course no one believed him, but they didn't care because they were all drinking for free!
Once I had "sobered" up a bit (I was really the responsible one too...seriously. It was just Christmas and my girlfriend had just gone out of town and I was a little depressed and had some cash burning a hole) We decided to swim out into the middle of the intracoastal to commandeer a houeboat that had been 'abandoned " for years, but was still in good shape. We kept telling ourselves all kinds of maritime salvage right reasons we could just go out there and plant a flag and it was ours! We made it our there somewhow and of course the inside was roahced out from being open to the elelemnst for so long. Our feet were all carved up like diced fajita meat from all the rocks and other nasty "Lake Worth Lagoon" nastiness and we just sat out there trying to get it running until one of us noticed that the motors were missing! Go figure!! LOL
If you read my original post on here you will get an idea of some of the craziness we did. 99% I can't post due to x rated material... LOL
Yes, we were drinkers and I was the somewhat responsible one. I could never drink like he did, nor did I want to. I couldn't even conceive of waking up with a drink and kept my imbibing to 'Fridays' knowing that I had an addictive personality and needed to set limits. I tried for years to get him to do the same knowing that it was a futile effort to get him to quite forever, just wasn't going to happen.
But there is a line from the movie 'ARTHUR" that we loved and could recite every single line:
“Not everyone who drinks is a poet. Some of us drink because we're not poets.”
That was Sam.... and he needs to be celebrated for bing 'Sam'
Sam was NOT a DRUNK FOOL. FAR FROM IT AND IM TIRED OF PEOPLE SAYING SUCH. HE COULD RUN CIRCLES AROUND MOST OF US INTELLECTUALLY, HE JUST HAD A LOT OF PAIN.
SAM LOVED LIFE AND HE LOVED HIS DAUGHTER AND HE LOVED HIS TRUE FRIENDS....... LIFE IS A KICK IN THE ASS AND NOT ALL LOVEY DOVEY. ITS WHAT MAKES IT WORTH LIVING AND HE DID IT HIS WAY.
During my recent hip replacements Sam was my texting rehab coach. He helped me so much get back on my feet
I went to see him on Nov. 2 while in Memphis for our reunion and I am so glad I did. I fixed him his favorite meal, spinach quiche! He was not feeling well but loved the attention and company. I am so happy I had the opportunity to be with him one last time. I will miss our old friend.
When Facebook came along Sam and I became friends again after many years. Sam and I would have long conversations about the past up until the end of October. At that time he told me another funny story that he remembered and I will share it with you now.
When we were in the third grade Lee Williams ( who also lived on Grandview) decided to run away from home. So they took off on their bikes and the game plan was to ride them to Florida and hop a steamer to Africa.(Sam said he joined because he wanted to be the first Tarzan Veterinarian in Africa.) Well they made it all the way to Collierville!!! It got dark and Lee wimped out but they found a lone farmers house. Tha farmer, when Sam told him his name, turned out to be a patient of his father. "Major Fiasco!!!" Sam said.." Lee became psychiatrist....Hmmm....
Talked me into riding my bike to Africa?? He owes me at least one free session. Lol ".
Sam was one of the nicest guys I Knew.. I really will miss him.
We were there for each other in good and in bad . Even had a few fist fights and other brotherly love (we were living together and I parked the car on his new grass seedlings and he flipped out. He loved his grass...) lol. Some of you for sure would have heard stories about our 'adventures' and if you did, you were privileged for sure. Our goal in the last couple of months was to write a book together about our lives and craziness. Sam and I would try and out do each other about stories from when we were kids and they were close, but I'll say his "sawing the hole in the tree fort" and falling through was very good! what a knuckle head.
Or, him claiming that he met 'Elvis" at a stop light and didn't even know it was him until his girlfriend told him. He said Elvis asked him if they wanted to come hang out and he told him "NO you freaking hippie and took off (He only saw the sideburns) He said he would deliver flowers to 'Graceland" a few times to the back door from a summer job he had a couple times too.
Our adventures with 'Doc' his Nephrologist who also tragically passed away are legendary as well. I was always the "clear-headed one" trying to keep the band of merry brothers under control.
Sam once got on my roof and delivered the entire Gettysburg address, slurring the whole way, but he made it through! I have a picture somewhere of that.
I think I saved his damn life at least twice from the horrible doctors at JFK hospital down here. When he had his hip replaced they had 'lost his chart which had all his med condition on it concerning his kidney plus the emergency contact info for myself and two others--mentioned below----- and I went to see him after the 'routine' surgery. They told me "You're here to see Sam Strain? I said yes. They said you better run to ICU and say goodbye because he is dying...... I said what the ------ and ran up there. They had no idea about his meds etc and his kidney was failing. I ran down and tracked down his Nephrologist and the other couple responsible for his "emergency" contact and we rushed back to have him given whatever meds he needed to save him. He was literally almost gone then. So just a routine 'I better check on him" was a sign I'm sure. It's the bond that we had---
I remember (hypothetically---I'm not getting into trouble for this) rigging an aquarium pump that we attached to him with a bag of really bad smelling stuff that he wore going into court for something or another and it was rigged to look like a dialysis or some other unknown apparatus making all kinds of hissing noises and when he sat down the bag was made to break open and 'the smell' filled the courtroom and the judge let him off quickly just to get him out of the courtroom! Proud of this.... no, but kind of if you understand the guts it took to pull off and hilarity of it.
Let's just say there is way, way too much about the 'Strain" family that I know that will forever remain in my heart and anonymous.... It is an incredible family, very historic of course and I know he had great respect for the Patriarch who I think was his grandfather who wrote a few famous books, at least minimally famous to Sam. He would show it off every chance he could. (Good thing I'm really bad at first names or a lot of you would be in trouble.LOL.. ;-)
We even went to camp" Rockmont" in Black Mountain...what are the chances of that? Different eras of course, but again the synergy was always quite amazing. My adoption and his similar situation, he being a "black sheep" too...again, way too much to talk about, and I am devastated. I was just about to move him back down to Florida and get him in a condo, get him healthy. We were just starting to lay down the details and "rules" for him! lol, Our plan was to 'fish" until we dropped every day.
If anyone is wondering, I will be taking Feisty and giving her a wonderful home here with a nice big back yard and 2 buddies for her to play with. Just need to figure out the logistics.
A shout out to "Mo" and "Babe" are in order for them putting up with Sam for so long and being there for him as well. Great friends, even though Sam brought them so much grief!!! lol
Jamie also has a 'dad' in me and I will be here for her in good and bad. She has a heart of gold and had to "endure" her dad! that was torture enough, but he loved her with all of his heart I can say that with 110% assurance.
I hope no one takes offense to anything I've said here, but its all true and is SAM. For good or ill, it was him..and that's a human being that will never be reproduced including our deep love for each other.
We talked multiple times per week and he knew I was closing on a business deal that he was so proud of and I needed his support which he gave 100%. One of the reasons I was able to achieve this 'goal' was due to Sam and wanting one of the Blacksheep to "make it" for each other. That he was sooooo smart and could have achieved so much more, but we all have our idiosyncratic parts to us and it was too late for him at that time, but I was going to do it for both of us to show everyone that 'We weren't as bad as people may have thought" and that at least one of us could be responsible! lol
I LOVE YOU BROTHER AND WILL CONTINUE ON AND MAKE MY ENDEAVOR INTO THE SUCCESS WE TALKED ABOUT. ITS ALREADY DONE AND WILL REPRESENT YOU AND WHAT YOU BROUGHT US ALL IN THIS WORLD
Thank you for your love and support. We are very sad but we are glad to have known and loved Sam. Please share a thought or a memory with us.
Thank you for loving Sam!
Love,
The Family of Sam Strain
Incredible.
Sam and I never lost touch...but haven't seen him in years.
Will miss you old friend...
My sympathy to his family.
Leave a Tribute
As the world is introduced to the company and the power it will wield as a household name it will, underneath have a lot of your ideas and heart included, that's for sure.
Your encouragement and support is a huge part of what made this happen and it will never be forgotten. Might even superimpose you into one of the commercials! You always wanted to be in one and maybe that dream can be realized.
Unfortunately, your request that Feisty came to me never realized itself, but I have been assured that Feisty is being cared for and so I have to believe it is. It's strange how so many of your ...predictions came true. We should have done what we planned in so far as having your living will be taken care of just as you had me as your only emergency contact, but how were we to know that you would be taken from me so early...We always knew the possibility, but I guess it's just something that you don't want to think about. Its a lesson to us all to document and make clear what we desire in all our lives in the event that the universe decides 'it's our time'. Your 'time' on this Earth was an 'event', a 'movie' to say the least. My producer is planning on documenting the events of my life that only you and I know about and I can assure you that you will have "your role of a lifetime'. It will be produced by one of the biggest in the business and more than likely at one point be a part of the Cannes festival...so there is at least that! You never needed '15 minutes of fame" because your whole life was one big documentary!LOL
So, when this happens I will keep you informed in my prayers as I always do..as I think back on all our adventures and TRUE brotherhood that we both cherished so much.
I love you....and miss you dearly.
RIP SAM, we had a good run Florida. Met Sam in 1981. Became his roommate, went to his Wedding & he went to mine. I saw Jamie being born, did a lot of boating, diving, bar b queuing , played a lot of racquet ball, enjoyed a lot of dinners & beverages over the years. Didn't know Sam was ill & still don't know what caused his passing. Only talked a few times after out of Florida.
Your friends, Jack & Marguerite Permenter
Sam, Frank Beal and I have been friends since the late sixties. We all shared a passion for the sea and in particuliar scuba diving. We were taught by Doug McNeese, Sr and Jr. at the dive shop across from East High on Poplar Ave in Memphis. We began as mud divers at Heber Springs lake in Arkansas and later Destin Florida. Loved to go camping at Heber and canoeing on the Spring river as well. Sam and Frank loved the ocean so much they moved to the Florida Keys with Jack Kenner and others. Same stayed there for many years. Would love to hear some of those stories as I stayed in Memphis. Sam always enjoyed life and never said a bad word about anyone.
Your on Frank and Jack.
Miss you Sam!
From Sara
Sam and I had a few long phone converstaions over the last five years, and one on a Christmas Morning, when he told me he was home alone and happy as a clam. It was so much fun to make plans with Sam, even if they were never carried out. If he wasn't on an adventure he was dreaming one up! He told wonderful stories and he was a sweet and handsome friend. Sam, please have an adventure with Emmett, while y'all are waiting for the rest of us. Heaven is a better place with you there. Love from Sara