Mr. William Earl "Bill" Sams

William Earl Sams, Sr. of 203 East Pinson Street, Sylvester, Georgia, passed away April 30, 2011. The funeral will be at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at the First Baptist Church of Sylvester with the Reverend Ben Bush officiating. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery. Mr. Sams was born January 16, 1922 in Sylvester, Georgia, to the late Walter Emerson Sams and Lila Deariso Sams. He was a 1939 graduate of McPhaul Institute in Sylvester. He was employed with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad prior to WWII. On April 6, 1942, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps before being registered for the draft. He served in the Marine Corps for four years in the South Pacific at Guadalcanal, in the Central Pacific in the invasions of Okinawa and in North China. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant. For forty-two years he has organized and conducted a reunion of the Fifteenth Marine Regiment Association of the Sixth Marine Division. After WWII, Mr. Sams attended the University of Georgia. Then for a number of years he was manager of Oakridge Farms in Worth County. Then he was employed in the utility construction business and was also employed with AllStar International Trucks in Albany. He was a member of the First Baptist Church, Sylvester. He served in local and district positions for many years in the VFW organization and was a current member of the VFW and the American Legion organizations. He enjoyed camping with his wife and grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Sams celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2002. Survivors include his wife Carolyn Nelms Sams of Sylvester; sons William Earl Sams, Jr. and his wife Gail of Sylvester; Col. Walter Jesse Sams and his wife Pam of Ogden, Utah; daughter Lila Sams Paramore of Americus; six grandchildren Haley Sams Harvell and her husband Gregg of Valdosta; Laura Sams Wood of her husband Grant of Atlanta; Staci Paramore Israel and her husband Josh of Americus; Justin Sams Paramore and his wife Roxanne of Columbus; Jessica Marie Sams of Ogden, Utah; Victoria Lynn Sams of Ogden, Utah; two great-grandsons Alan Wright Kimbro, Jr. and William Worth Kimbro of Valdosta; two great-granddaughters Josie Marie Israel of Americus and Charlotte Grace Wood of Atlanta. Visitation will be from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Monday, May 2, 2011 at Banks Funeral Home in Sylvester, Georgia. Sign our online guest registry at www.banksfh.com Banks Funeral Home in Sylvester is in charge of the arrangements. 229-776-2055

Mr. William Earl "Bill" Sams

January 16, 1922 - April 30, 2011