Samuel Gordon Stout

Samuel Gordon Stout

, 85, of Chandler, AZ, passed away peacefully surrounded by family Friday evening, October 11

th

at the Hospice of the Valley Dobson Home, following a 10-day hospital stay.  A Celebration of Life will be 2:00 PM, Sunday, October 27

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at Alma School Road Church of Christ, 445 N. Alma School Road, Chandler, with Keith Shepherd officiating.  Family visitation will follow in the church annex.

Sam was born January 23, 1934 to Edward and Nancy Coots Stout in Red Rock, OK.  He graduated from Los Fresnos High, TX in 1950, and started Harding College (University) in Searcy, AR at age 16 ½.   He worked to put himself through college, including 2-years’ service in the Army, and graduated from Harding in August ‘57 with a BA in Physical Ed. and Social Science.  While in the Army, Sam trained at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio; did medical training at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital, Aurora, CO, and Ft. Carson, Colorado Springs; and was stationed for a 10-month tour in Germany as a Med-Tech at the 2

nd

Army Hospital at Landstuhl.

Following college, Sam taught and coached high school for five years in Chamois, MO, and Kersey, CO, during which time he went to grad school in the summers and finished his Masters of Educational Administration at Colorado State College, Greeley.  The Stouts moved to Chandler in August 1962 where Sam taught US History and Civics at Chandler High and coached varsity basketball, JV football, and was the “Voice of the Wolves” at Friday night varsity football games.  Sam retired from CHS in May, 1992, then drove cars for the Southwest Auto Auction to various car dealerships, and was also a volunteer driver for the Red Cross in Chandler transporting patients to Phoenix hospitals.

While growing up in Los Fresnos, TX with a strong, faithful Christian mother, at age 12 Sam accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and was baptized for the remission of sins into the Body of Christ.  Beginning at age 13, he attended Texas Normal Singing School in Sabinal for three summers to learn church song leading and became a very skilled singer and song leader.  It was his gift and privilege to teach shape-note music reading to scores of people at church through the years, and the congregation was blessed by his song leading until the past few years.  He served many years as a Deacon and then as an Elder for the past 25 years at Alma School Road church.  Sam was a life-long Bible student and taught adult Bible classes.  For him, the highlight of each week was attending all three services at church on Sundays and Wednesday eve, until two weeks ago when he entered the hospital.

Sam worked every summer break at interesting jobs, like directing “Summer Fun” at Winn Elementary School on E. Saragoza Rd., working on the Chandler School Yard Maintenance crews, and 14 summers at Spreckles Sugar Factory as the “Weigh Master” for the trucks delivering sugar beets.  Every summer, Sam made sure the family took a big road trip to see all the relatives in CO and South TX.  On free Saturdays, he enjoyed fishing with some of the older men from church, as well as some of his teaching/coaching buddies.  The family has always been told by many of his students that he had a large impact and positive influence on several generations of students passing thru CHS.  He had a way of reaching students with a dry wit and natural humor that went beyond simply teaching his course content.  As was shared by many throughout the years, and loved and appreciated by his family, his exterior could be a little gruff, but his heart was always tender.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers: the oldest/infant Georgie Houston, Carrol, Luther, James and Robert; his sister Irma Keener; and his daughter-in-law Denise Kinney Stout.

Sam is survived by his wife of 64 years 11 months, Jeanetta Hazlet Stout, his five children, Meagan and husband John Bryant, Randy and wife Mary, Jeff and wife Debbie, Kirby and wife Stacey, and Kelly and wife Michelle.  His grandchildren:  Tiffany and Billy Stout, Arianne and husband Cody Scott, Drew and wife Madeline Stout, Ashlynn Stout, Jacob Stout; his bonus-grandchildren:  Amy and husband Chris Stewart, Amber and husband Matt Innerarity, Trevor and Hallye Turner, Kylie Moran; and his great- and bonus-great grandchildren: Shane, Elizabeth and Calleigh Stewart; Eli and Annalynn Scott; Hadley, Kate and Scarlett Stout; and Kingston Woods.  Also his sisters-in-law:  Shirley Stout and Betty Stout Schindler, and in-laws:  Jim and Monte Hazlet and Maryann Hazlet Healy, as well as many beloved Stout and Hazlet nieces and nephews.

The Stout family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and care teams at Chandler Regional Hospital and Hospice of the Valley Dobson Home for their compassionate care and kindness.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorials be sent to

Alma School Road Church of Christ

, 445 N. Alma School Road, Chandler, 85224 marked for “

Missions

” or for “

Children’s Homes

” (which would be sent by the church directly to Manuelito Navajo Children’s Home, Gallup, NM and The Christian Children’s Home in Portales, NM); or to

Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter

, 340 E Palm Lane, Suite 230, Phoenix, AZ 85004.

Cremation services were handled by Bueler Chandler Mortuary.

Interment will be in the future at Valley of the Sun Cemetery, Chandler.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

Psalm 116:15.