Obituary of Earl Ray ‘Sam’ Hemby

Services for Earl Ray 'Sam' Hemby, 83, Red Rock, a native of Troup, are scheduled for 11:00 am, Tuesday, June 15, at the Cottle Funeral Home chapel, Troup, with Sherrill Mills officiating. Burial will be in the Pinecrest Cemetery, Troup. He passed away in his home with family, in Red Rock Texas on June 12, 2010. He was born July 10, 1926, in Troup to the late George and Lorene Gee Hemby. He was also preceded in death by a brother and three sisters. Mr. Hemby had served in both the U.S. Army during World War II and in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Sam retired from Champion Paper, in Pasadena, Texas. He also retired from the Pasadena Fire Department, where he served as Fire Chief and served as the City of Pasadena's Fire Marshal.  He married Leota Pond in Troup, December 14, 1946. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Leota Pond Hemby, Red Rock; two daughters and sons-in-law, Alice and Bill Bennett, Liberty and Katie and Mike Barnes, Red Rock; a sister, Hazel Florence, Tyler; three grandchildren, Billy Ray Bennett, Rachael Parham, and Shawn Barnes; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.