SammyPetrie

Samuel Bruce Petrie

Samuel Bruce Petrie was born on August 29, 1930 at 1109 Hays Street to Natalie (Kerlegon) and Bruce Petrie. Sammy as he was afectionately called was a fun loving individual. He served in the Army as a Tank Mechanic. When he returned home from military service, he built a "home made" car from wood and metal. His first cousin, Babysister (Elizabeth Kerlegon Brown) learned to drive in that car. Sammy was such a skillful mechanic that if a transmission was placed before him in separate pieces, he could re-assemble it without consulting a manual. For many years Sammy worked as a mechanic with his uncle, Whitney (Kerlegon) Calegon at Calegon's Auto Service in Houston, Texas.

Sammy recalled on numerous occasions for family members how when he was a young boy, Aunt Guess (Bernadette Kerlegon) would dresss him in a wool suit no matter what time of year it was and take him along for a visit to the family's homestead near Ames, Texas. He could also remember his grandmother, Eva Breaux Kerlegon's brother, Parant DeLay (also known as Desire' Breaux) who Sammy said had long white hair and looked just like Buffalo Bill.

His mother, Natalie Petrie (Mama Petrie) instilled in her sons a deep love for the devotion of the recitation of the Holy Rosary in honor of our Blessed Lady. Sammy continued this devotion by daily recitation of his rosary made of crystal clear beads into the end of his life. For years he taught the rosary in his home to friends at 8011 St. Louis Street in Settegast, Houston, Texas. Sammy's mother also passed on to him a life long devotion to St. Jude and support of The Saint Jude's Childrens Center. She was one of the original contributors to the center and met personally with it's founder, Danny Thomas. His father, Bruce Petrie was deeply religious and attended mass with his family at Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church until his death prior to Sammy's teen years. Sammy continued the family's spirit of caring by making many donations over the years in the form of money orders that he sent to numerous charities that asked for his help.

Sammy had no children, but he had one Godchild, Yvette Guerrra Chargois. He was "big" brother to his first cousins, Boris McWashington and Joe Kerlegon. He shared with Joe many first lessons in life like how to shoot marbles and shine shoes. Both Boris and Joe learned how to drive because of Sammy. He also had a strong sense of right and wrong at an early age when a "back of the bus experience" in his youth led him to a vow to never ride the bus again in life. As a teenager, he had the special ability to mediate parent and child discussions. He was always willing to help out at any time. Sammy once successfully repaired the brakes on a foreign car for his cousin, Thomas (Kerlegon) Calegon by modifying them to function without prior training on this type of automobile. He was a leader and spurred an interest in his yournger relatives to join the military service just as he and his uncle, Whitney and cousin, Thomas had all served in the Army. Sammy inspired others to appreciate beauty through his custom woodworking designs that he implemented in interior home building years ahead of the industry.

The Kerlegon family experienced frequent deaths through the generations until funerals became unbearable for many of them. Sammy was not one to attend many church ceremonies, especially funerals but silenly through the years he expressed his faith in the form of praying the rosary, fostering friendships, exhibiting a fun loving nature and personal sacrifice of charitable contributions to those in need.

The Good Lord blessed our family with many shinning stars who have brightened our days. Sammy is one of those stars whose light will be sorely missed.