Samuel J. "Sam" Myers

     Samuel “Sam” Joe Myers, age 83, of Grand Tower, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale surrounded by his beloved family. He was born at his childhood home on the Carter farm on August 30, 1940 in Wolf Lake, the son of Cyril Lymar and Frieda Alice (Carter) Myers.  He married his high school sweetheart Sherry Lee Woodard, and they enjoyed the next 63 years together.

     Sam graduated from Shawnee High School in 1959 where he enjoyed playing high school sports, football, basketball and baseball. He worked on his family farm and later farmed his own land where he built his family home. There he and Sherry raised their 3 children. Together they enjoyed camping, boating and spending time with family and friends. Although Sam spent almost his entire life farming, he worked at Ensign Bickford for several years in between and enjoyed spending time with coworkers.

     Sam had a passion for flying. In the 60’s, Sam completed his aviation certificate and bought his first airplane. He owned several small planes during his life and loved telling the nurses and doctors or anyone who would listen about his airplanes and his flight across the Bermuda Triangle.

      He LOVED his whole family so very much. He was very proud of his 3 children and all of their accomplishments and thought they hung the moon. He was especially proud of his 8 grandkids. He rarely missed any of the boy’s baseball games and loved collecting their homerun baseballs. He loved hearing about their farm animals and about the demolition derby’s. He couldn’t wait to hear about the bass fishing tournaments and the score of the high school basketball games. He enjoyed hearing everything about his grandsons.

      His 3 granddaughters had his whole heart and always told them they were his super models. He loved hearing about their sports, nursing careers and love of animals. He would tell everyone that would listen about his grandchildren. He was so very proud of each of them.

      Sam enjoyed watching all types of sports on TV, especially baseball games. He was an avid Cardinals fan and loved when baseball season started. Later he spent his time with Sherry going to the kids and grandkids sporting events and recently watching his great-grandchildren grow up. He loved getting together for all of the holidays and was so proud of his family in every way. He never turned down being in a picture with the family.

      If you knew Sam, he would have some funny sayings. It would often go like this. He would climb off the tractor, cut a chogie and head to his favorite watering hole (the Duck Inn) and later go home and hit the hay.

          Sam is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Sherry Lee [Woodard] Myers; children, Kerry Joe Myers, Vickie Lynn [Myers] (Jon) Ellet, and Dana Leigh [Myers] (Jason) Crain; grandchildren, Ethan Wayne (Kristina) Myers, Dalton Wade (Kimberly) Myers, Kyle Wade (Mallory) Ellet, Gavyn Lee (Desiree) Ellet, Madilyn Rose (Zachery) Ellet, Ryleigh Maison Clover, Maddox Ryan Crain, Landrey Raegan Crain; great-grandchildren, Cole, Avery, Leighton, Skylar, Reese, Brody, Hudson, and Walker; siblings, Jerry (Mary Lou) Myers and Monty (Laurie) Myers; nieces and nephews, Lana [Myers] (Doug) Fite, Cindy [Myers] (Chuck) McDaniel, Jay (Angela) Pierce; other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Richard “Dick” (Tootie) Myers; sister, Denise (Howard) [Myers] Pierce; sister-in-law, Judy K. (Woodard) Dillow, and brother-in-law, Samuel D. Woodard, Jr.

          Sam is very loved and will be missed by all of his family.

      Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 23, 2024 at the Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Anna with Bob Henson officiating. Interment will follow at Lindsey Cemetery in McClure. Friends may call from 11:00 a.m. until the service hour at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Anna. Memorial contributions may be made to Shawnee Booster Club. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. 

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