Jerry William "J.W." Sample

Jerry William “J.W.” Sample, age 78, of Cleveland, Texas, passed away Wednesday, April 28, 2010. He was born in Livingston, Texas on May 6, 1931 to Joe Edward Sample and Alpine Elom Sample who preceded in death along with his two brothers, Raymond Edward Sample and Kenneth Ray Sample. J.W. has been a Mason since 1967, joining Park Place Lodge, Houston, Texas. After moving to Cleveland, Texas in 1974, he joined the Tarkington Masonic Lodge #498 where he studied and became a Master Mason. He had dual memberships between Batson Lodge and Tarkington Prairie Lodge. J.W. was also a member of the Scottish Rite Club of the 27th District. He was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and was working on his 33rd. He did the Dairy Day Rodeo and coordinated Dairy Day for several years. During the years he has earned the highest award any Mason can get and that is the Golden Trowel and he has received two of these. He was a Houston Fire Fighter before moving to Cleveland. While in Cleveland, he owned and operated Lone Star Feed Store and PoBoys Western Store. He retired from that in 2001. He likes his Masnic family and loved being a Mason. He also enjoyed fishing in his later years. Survivors include his loving wife, Loretta Ann Sample; daughter, Jerri Lynn Shepherd of Vidor, Texas; grandchildren, David Sample Jr., Matthew Sample, Elizabeth Poppen, Julie Peters, James Peters, Michael Shepherd, Tisha Shepherd; twelve great-grandchildren; brother, Joe Wayne Sample of Livingston, Texas; sisters, Mary Agnes Sample Ivy of Longview, Texas, Linda Sue Sample Dunlap of Longview, Texas; numerous other cherished family members and treasured friends throughout the years. Memorial services will be held Saturday, May 8, 2010, 2:00 p.m. at Pace-Stancil Chapel; Pastor Woody Sonnier will presided over the service.