Dr. William Christopher “Billy” Sams, Jr., 90, of Ocilla, died Thursday, August 20, 2009, at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton, Georgia.
Funeral services will be held at 2 PM, Sunday, August 23, 2009, at the Ocilla Baptist Church with the Rev. Rob Dowdle, Rev. Robert Couey and Rev. Jesse Alligood officiating. Interment will follow in the Ocilla Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 Saturday evening at the funeral home in Ocilla.
Dr. Sams was born April 20, 1919 in Conyers, GA to the late W.C., Sr. and Edna Corinne Smith Sams. He was a 1936 graduate of Dallas High School, attended North Georgia College, was a graduate of the University of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his residency at Macon Hospital. A former principal and chemistry teacher at McCaysville High School in McCaysville, GA, he served in the United States Army, Army Air Corps and Air Force. Dr. Sams practiced medicine in Ocilla for 41 years. He was a member of the American Medical Association, Medical Association of Georgia, and the American Legion. He was a founder of the Bank of Ocilla in 1956 where he served as President from 1978 to 1997 and then retired from the Board of Directors in 1999. He was a member of Ocilla Baptist Church.
Dr. Sams is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law: Chris & Brenda Sams of Dalton, Mark & Glenda Jo Sams of Ocilla and Lee & Wendy Sams of St. Simons Island; grandchildren: Michael Sams of Gainesville, Beth Sams of Chattanooga, TN and Cori Sams of Savannah. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Nell Lewis Sams.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Ocilla Baptist Church, P.O. Box 101, Ocilla, GA 31774.