Samuel Raymond Privett (Sam) died on February 13, 2015. He was born December 17, 1922, in Ava, Missouri. He spent his youth helping his father, Everett, and mother, Elsie, work their farm. After graduation, he worked with his brother, Marvin. They traveled the states working on combines, cutting wheat and corn.

Sam joined the Army after Pearl Harbor and was deployed to help re-take the Philippines after it was invaded. He received two bronze stars and a purple heart for being wounded. Sam's division was the first U.S. troop to occupy Japan.

Upon returning from World War II, he met and married the love of his life, Glennie, in 1947 and began to raise a family. Sam and Glennie had three children, Sam, Cindy and Bill. With the insistence of his wife they moved to Oregon for a promised logging job that didn't pan out. So again Glennie insisted he head to Alaska, and when he had made enough money he sent for his family. They moved to Edna Bay and he became a faller.

When the logging camp began cutting back in 1959, the family moved to Wrangell where they remain today. In 1968, Sam got out of the woods, started working for Union Oil Co. of California and started Wrangell Oil. He retired from that business when he turned 70.

During his logging years and oil man days he also commercially fished two power trollers-the F/V Tommy and the F/V Sea Queen. It is often wondered which he loved more, laying big trees down or catching and cooking king salmon.

In Wrangell, Sam was not only a businessman but also an active community volunteer. He served on the City Council and as the mayor. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #6 and a past exalted ruler of the Wrangell Elks Lodge #1545. He enjoyed cooking steaks for the club when that program first started.

In Sam's other life he was called Raymond, and every fall and spring he went back to his farm at Happy Home Road in Missouri. He enjoyed watching the turkeys and shooting a deer. Glennie wouldn't let him shoot the big red squirrels as they were too pretty. During those years he had over one hundred head of cattle and two big bulls, Cherokee and Choctaw, each weighing over 2,000 pounds. He truly loved his farm and friends in Ava.

Sam was preceded in death by his son Sam Jr .; his wife, Glennie; his brother, Marvin; and sister, Marie. He is survived by his sister, Louise; daughter, Cindy; son, Bill; their respective spouses Mark Robinson and Janell Privett; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Services were held at the Presbyterian Church on March 14, 2015. Sam is gone, but he won't ever be forgotten by those who loved him. Donations may be made in memory of Sam to the Wrangell Medical Center. Sam always appreciated their true caring and professionalism when he was hospitalized under their care.