Dolphus Sams
United States Navy

       Dolphus Sams was born 21 July 1923 in St. Paul, Arkansas, the son of William Alex and Dona Fay Beene Sams.   He grew up in a family of twelve children.   His brothers and sisters were: Claude, Kenneth, Cowan, Olin, Lloyd, Howard, Mary, Martha, Anna Mae, Ossie and Josie.   He attended school in the Hamlin Community, near Wynne, Arkansas.
    Dolphus served a short time in the Navy. Upon being medically discharged, he returned to Wynne.
    As a young man, Dolphus learned the building and construction trade and worked at the Cape Canaveral, Florida Missile Launch Pads during early space launches.   He, also, worked as a mechanic and a carpenter and was a minister for fifty years at the Holts Chapel Church of God in the Hamlin Community.   Dolphus married Martha Marie Mason and they were the parents of two sons, Dolphus, Jr. and Daniel, and two daughters, Lorene and Faye.   Dolphus was, also, the father of another son, Larry.
    Dolphus Sams died 13 January 2000 in Wynne, Arkansas and was buried in the Vanndale Cemetery, Vanndale, Arkansas

    This  information was taken from his obituary printed in the Wynne Progress, 21 January 2001.

                                                                                                                                        20 July 2001  /10/