Sam Brehm's Obituary
Sam Brehm, a butcher, grocer and cattleman, died peacefully July 6 at age 95, following a stroke he experienced one week prior. In that final week he was surrounded by his three children: Steve, Denise and Scott; Scott’s wife, Martha; and three of his grandchildren, all of whom were able to express to him their deep love for him before his passing.
The tall, strong, outgoing Oklahoman suffered from congestive heart failure in his final three years and relied on a power wheelchair to make his rounds of greeting to his many friends in the dining room at Primrose, the assisted living facility in Rogers, Ark., that was his home. He was a favorite uncle for many of his nieces and nephews, who remember his strength and resilience, good humor and strong faith.
Samuel Earl Brehm was born in Weatherford, Okla., in November 1930 to George and Margrete (Traudt) Brehm, who were among the immigrant group known as German Russians, those who had first immigrated from Germany to Russia in the late 1700s to farm along the Volga River, then to the U.S. late in the nineteenth century. This group of Protestant Christians would eventually form much of the country’s wheat belt. Sam spent his first years living on an 80-acre farm in Corn, Okla., with his parents, two brothers and six sisters. He was the youngest son.
In 1943, the family moved to Clinton, Okla., where Sam graduated high school in 1948. He played football for the Red Tornados and received a scholarship to play football for Panhandle A&M College in Goodwell, Okla. (now known as Oklahoma Panhandle State University). When his friends, who had also been admitted and driven him to the college decided not to go to school, but to return home before the season began, he rode along with them. Once back home, he worked full time at Bestway Food Market before being transferred to the Woodward, Okla., store to train as a butcher.
He joined the U.S. Navy in 1950, where he was trained as a cook. He served on Kwajelein Island in the Pacific Ocean, aboard the USS Philippine Sea aircraft carrier stationed near Korea, and at a base in San Diego. While on leave in Clinton, he met his future bride, Sadie Mae Byrd, who was friends with his sister Norma Jean. The couple married in December 1953 following his discharge, and first settled in Fort Worth, Texas.
They later moved to Ponca City, Okla., where Sam continued his work as a butcher, and then to Oklahoma City, where he worked as a traveling representative for the Fleming Co., a distributor of foods to IGA groceries. From there, they moved in 1966 to Okmulgee, Okla., a small city in the eastern part of the state. He first worked for Cox IGA as a butcher and store manager. The name later changed to Okmulgee IGA. Sam was known to all who shopped there and to the many high school students who asked for free butcher paper to use for making cheerleading signs for the local high school.
Sam and Sadie also owned an 80-acre farm (later adding another 20 acres) about a mile south of the city, where they raised a huge vegetable garden, beef cattle, and their three children, who learned at a young age – just as their father did – that work could be hard, but rewarding. Sam also helped his sons raise pigs as their Future Farmers of America projects. They were members and regular attendees of the First United Methodist Church in Okmulgee.
In 1979, Sam and Sadie purchased the IGA store in nearby Beggs. Together they ran Sam’s IGA for 13 years, before closing the store and retiring in 1993. In retirement, they managed the Okmulgee Rural Water Association.
During those years, Sam and Sadie traveled to Alaska, Germany and Hawaii with touring groups of IGA grocers. They took up square dancing, and regularly played card games and dominoes with friends.
In 2007, they moved to Joplin, Mo., to be near their son Scott and his family. Sam began playing golf several times a week. The couple attended the sports events of their grandchildren, and were members of the First United Methodist Church. In 2017, Sam and Sadie moved again, to an independent living facility in Bella Vista, Ark. After Sadie’s death in 2019, Sam moved to Primrose.
He is survived by his three children: Steve of Grover Beach, Calif., Denise of Chelsea, Mass., and Scott of Garfield, Ark. and Winter Haven, Fla.; daughters-in-law Martha and Joy; five grandchildren, Chessi Day and her husband Colby, Talon Brehm and his husband Chris, as well as Rachel, Samuel Scott and Joshua; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at the First United Methodist Church, 307 West Elm Street, Rogers, Ark. Condolences may be sent to the family through Nelson-Berna of Rogers funeral home. Burial will be in Clinton, Okla.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made in Samuel’s name to the Watered Gardens Ministries in Joplin, Mo.
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