Sam Childers, 76, passed away Saturday, May 30, 2020 in Tulsa, OK. He was born July 4, 1943 in Wyoming, the youngest of Jack and Avis Childers' six children. Sam was named for Uncle Sam upon arriving on Independence Day 1943. Before his first birthday, the family returned to Clarksville, Arkansas where his father managed a peach farm and his beloved mother cared for the family. He moved about during his formative years, attending schools in Clarksville; Freeport, Texas; Beattie, Kansas and Tulsa. His was the first class to graduate from Nathan Hale High School and it was here that he met the love of his life, Connie Wallin. They married in 1964 and the following year he and Connie grieved the unimaginable death of their infant daughter Audra Dell.

Sam learned early in life that one has to depend upon oneself and he had a strong work ethic. He was a natural with tools, motors and anything electrical and could name the make and model of any pre-1980s car on sight. Though the end result wasn't always pretty, he could repair anything. During his youth he worked a variety of jobs: dishwasher, bowling alley pinsetter and mechanic and he raced his #34 stock car at the Tulsa Speedway when he wasn't working. He began working for Nu-Trend Electric before he graduated high school and in 1965 began working for the City of Tulsa, the first licensed electrician in the Traffic Engineering Department. He worked his way up to supervisor and made many close friends along the way. Anyone who worked for him inevitably said he was the fairest and most decent boss they had ever had. Throughout his professional career, he made his family his priority and rarely missed a football game, a concert or award ceremony. He was the first to step up if a team needed a coach, or a carpool needed a driver. He was the guy that his kids (or any of their friends who considered Sam and Connie second parents) could call in the middle of the night for roadside assistance. He treated everyone with respect and accepted everyone for who they were. He passed this important lesson on to his children and grandchildren whom he loved with all his heart. His faith in Christ was an essential part of his character and he was an active member of Faith United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife Connie of Tulsa; children Sam Jr. and husband Jeff Hemphill of Dallas, Scott and wife Angie of Tulsa, and daughter Stacey Sole and husband Mark of Tulsa; four grandchildren, Austin Childers and Holly Babcock of Satellite Beach, FL, Parker Childers and wife Riley of Tulsa, Matthew Sole and Jacob Sole of Tulsa, sister Irma Dell Britt and husband George of New Milford, CT and many loving nieces, nephews, their children and grandchildren.

Viewing will be Tuesday, June 2, 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Moore's Southlawn, with a private family graveside service Wednesday. A celebration of Sam's life will be held later this summer. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com