Samuel "Sam" Richard Saunders
September 6, 1941 — August 29, 2022
Samuel “Sam” Richard Saunders, 80, passed away on Monday, August 29, 2022, after a short battle with cancer. Sam would have been 81 on September 6th. He lived in Florida for most of his adult life, initially in Delray Beach and thereafter Boynton Beach. He was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey with his two sisters, Marie Kerley (deceased 2010) and his surviving sister, Carole Szcykalski of Maple Shade, New Jersey.
Sam was known as "Uncle Richie" to his four nieces and nephews, Lisa Paternoster (Mario) of Watchung New Jersey, Arthur Szcykalski, Jr. (Cheryl) of Maple Shade, New Jersey, Carolyn Boland of Little Mountain, South Carolina, and to the late Kenneth Kerley, Jr. Sam is also survived by Great niece, Gracey, and Great nephews, Kevin, Thomas and Clayton. Sam was an American Army veteran who was honorably discharged in 1967. Sam had a great admiration and respect for our military. Sam's father was a Police Officer in Camden, New Jersey prior to them coming to Florida. When I say "them" I am referring to Sam, and his late parents, Samuel Joseph Saunders and his mother Margaret Saunders. When they came to Florida, they owned and operated at that time what was called the "Coral Shores" Motel on U.S #1 in Delray Beach. Sam also worked as a professional welder while assisting his parents with the motel. He was a member of the American Welding Society (AWS) and worked for Midland-Ross, Grimes Division for more than a decade.
Sam enjoyed scuba diving in his younger years. He also had a love of birds. He managed to have a Chicken Hawk in his bedroom as a child! He had two parakeets as pets at the time of his death. He also had a great interest in classic cars, particularly Corvettes. Also in his later years, he loved putting intricate puzzles together as well as model airplanes and model cars. Sam had a passion for reading. He loved reading and learning about history, especially about World War 2 history. He had a book collection fit for a small library. He also loved astronomy. He loved the night sky which he enjoyed with his own telescope in times past.
Sam was a conservative and very kind man who always saw the glass as half full. He learned from his mother that it's best to get through life by keeping a positive sense of humor. He always laughed even during the tough times until the very end when he couldn't laugh anymore. He will always be remembered by those who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Friends will be received on Thursday, September 1, 2022 from 5-7 PM at Scobee-Combs-Bowden Funeral Home, 599 N.E. 15th Ave., Boynton Beach with a Prayer Service at 5:30 PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, September 2, 2022 at 11:00 AM at St. Mark Catholic Church, 643 St. Mark Place, Boynton Beach. Sam will be laid to rest at a later date with his beloved parents at Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
A Committal Service will be held Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 10:00 AM at Arlington Cemetery, 1620 Cove Road, Pennsauken, New Jersey 08110 with Father Tim Byerley of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Merchantville, New Jersey presiding.
In lieu of flowers, any donations can be made to the Boynton Beach Rescue Squad or the Boynton Beach Police Department, as they proved to be so professional and wonderful during these past difficult months in Sam’s memory.
Sam was known as "Uncle Richie" to his four nieces and nephews, Lisa Paternoster (Mario) of Watchung New Jersey, Arthur Szcykalski, Jr. (Cheryl) of Maple Shade, New Jersey, Carolyn Boland of Little Mountain, South Carolina, and to the late Kenneth Kerley, Jr. Sam is also survived by Great niece, Gracey, and Great nephews, Kevin, Thomas and Clayton. Sam was an American Army veteran who was honorably discharged in 1967. Sam had a great admiration and respect for our military. Sam's father was a Police Officer in Camden, New Jersey prior to them coming to Florida. When I say "them" I am referring to Sam, and his late parents, Samuel Joseph Saunders and his mother Margaret Saunders. When they came to Florida, they owned and operated at that time what was called the "Coral Shores" Motel on U.S #1 in Delray Beach. Sam also worked as a professional welder while assisting his parents with the motel. He was a member of the American Welding Society (AWS) and worked for Midland-Ross, Grimes Division for more than a decade.
Sam enjoyed scuba diving in his younger years. He also had a love of birds. He managed to have a Chicken Hawk in his bedroom as a child! He had two parakeets as pets at the time of his death. He also had a great interest in classic cars, particularly Corvettes. Also in his later years, he loved putting intricate puzzles together as well as model airplanes and model cars. Sam had a passion for reading. He loved reading and learning about history, especially about World War 2 history. He had a book collection fit for a small library. He also loved astronomy. He loved the night sky which he enjoyed with his own telescope in times past.
Sam was a conservative and very kind man who always saw the glass as half full. He learned from his mother that it's best to get through life by keeping a positive sense of humor. He always laughed even during the tough times until the very end when he couldn't laugh anymore. He will always be remembered by those who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Friends will be received on Thursday, September 1, 2022 from 5-7 PM at Scobee-Combs-Bowden Funeral Home, 599 N.E. 15th Ave., Boynton Beach with a Prayer Service at 5:30 PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, September 2, 2022 at 11:00 AM at St. Mark Catholic Church, 643 St. Mark Place, Boynton Beach. Sam will be laid to rest at a later date with his beloved parents at Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
A Committal Service will be held Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 10:00 AM at Arlington Cemetery, 1620 Cove Road, Pennsauken, New Jersey 08110 with Father Tim Byerley of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Merchantville, New Jersey presiding.
In lieu of flowers, any donations can be made to the Boynton Beach Rescue Squad or the Boynton Beach Police Department, as they proved to be so professional and wonderful during these past difficult months in Sam’s memory.
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