Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Coach Sam Berry will be missed by many

On the surface, Coach Sam Berry and I could not have been more different. Without The Salvation Army and the Boys & Girls Clubs it’s doubtful that our lives would have ever intersected. In addition to obvious differences, after his family, Sam’s life revolved around athletics, especially football, North Tulsa neighborhoods and gospel music. Football and gospel music had never even been on my radar. Sam loved the Mabee Red Shield Club and he was a tireless advocate for getting more media coverage for the club’s athletic program that he directed. So, despite our superficial differences, we became friends through the common goal of getting media coverage for the club.

Under pressure from Sam, I did things I had never done before. He constantly encouraged me to attend football games at the club. He kept me up to speed on news in the North Tulsa neighborhood where the club is located, especially news that affected the club kids. Sam expanded my world and increased my confidence in reporting and photographing subjects that were as unfamiliar to me as a foreign country. I was honored when Sam and Jerome Smith asked me to a Juneteenth Celebration awards ceremony where Tulsa music icon Leon Rollerson honored the two men. Leon said Sam was one of the few gospel singers left in Tulsa who was passing the music tradition to the next generation. In the above photo of Sam's gospel group, "Proverbs," Sam is on the right. Also above, he appeared on the Cox channel's "Sports Night."

The two things I loved most about Sam are his compassion and his voice. In 2009, Sam persuaded TU into giving the Red Shield kids a rare treat: they got to be on the football field when the Hurricane did their run on. Sam talked me into photographing it, although it was pouring rain. To shoot the kids’ reactions, I stood in the middle of the roped area where the players come out (photo above).  Over the rain  and the yelling fans, I heard my name and recognized Sam’s deep bass voice.  “Go Sallie go,” he said several times, and then the Red Shield kids joined him in the chant. “GO Sallie GO!” became louder and louder and must have mystified the onlookers. I loved it and I owe the wonderful memory to Sam. Just last year, along with many others, I got to enjoy hearing Sam’s impressive voice when he sang gospel music at Mabee Red Shield’s Fun Day.


In March of 2010, I caught pneumonia and missed three weeks of work. When I came back to work  my energy level was way down. Sam took one look at me and said “You need to go home and rest and not come back to work until you’re well.” He said it with such kindness. After that, we asked about each other’s health every time we met. I knew Sam had an illness. I knew he had been in the hospital several times this year, but for very short stays. Whenever he’d talk about his health, he’d end it by saying “But God is good, Sallie, God is good.” 

I was shocked when I learned of his death yesterday. Like many people, I’m sure, I wish I could have said goodbye and told him how important his friendship was to me and thanked him for it. Sam enriched my life in ways he never knew just by being himself and loving the kids and athletics at the Mabee Red Shield Club. He touched so many lives. The Salvation Army, all of the kids at Mabee Red Shield, countless others and I will miss Sam dearly.
 


-Sallie
P.S. If you would like to honor Sam by sharing  a special memory of him with others, please enter it in comments.

16 comments:

  1. Coach Sam was one of the good ones; we was an all around good guy. I will miss him, his upbeat personality and his easy going spirit. Rest in peace Coach Sam. ~ Rhonda M.

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  2. Coach Sam was definitely one of the good guys in this world and his passion for the youth in our community will be greatly missed. He always had a big smile on his face and I will miss him greatly.

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  3. J'day, age 13
    The man known as Coach Sam is like a father figure. He was mean at times, but he was mean because he loved us. Coach Sam gave great advice. He was always there for us.

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  4. Coach Sam has been good to us at Spring Break. He has so much activites for us to do. And there was amzaing all we did. I love Coach Sam and I will remember him and pray for him. I remember all the times with him. He also coached my brother and my, she knows him.

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  5. Coach Sam - I wish that you would not be dead. He was nice. He is nice to everybody. I will tell my mom that you died. I will tell my story.

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  6. Coach Sam was a great name and I am so very sorry to hear what happened. I give you all my praise and hugs.

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  7. To the Berry Family,
    I'm so sorry for your loss. We all miss Coach Sam. I loved him so much. Whoever comes to work here next will never be the same. He encouraged me so much. If it wasn't for him, I would not be playing basketball.
    Love,
    Camryn

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  8. When I was around Coach Sam I felt happy. I spent a lot of time with him because I played football and basketball. I was the only girl on the football team. Every time I would make a shot he would give me a dollar. I loved Coach Sam. We always had fun with each other. I will miss him a lot.
    Love, Nay Nay

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  9. Coach Sam was a really good man. He was friends with everybody. He was my good friend. To me, he felt like a dad.
    Love,
    Kaitlyn

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  10. I hope Coach Sam is in heaven and I hope he is ok and safe from the devil. God loves him.
    Love,
    Kerrey

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  11. Coach Sam was my friend. He made me feel happy. Now that he's gone I feel nervous. Sometimes he drives us on the bus to daycare. He was a good driver.
    Love,
    Kara

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  12. Coach Sam was funny. H made funny jokes. And he made me laugh. But I was sick on Monday and I didn't know he died. When they told me I felt sad. I miss him.
    Love, Samera

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  13. I love Coach Sam. He's a hero. He is awesome.
    Love,
    Christina

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  14. Coach Sam was a good friend to me. He let me try something new. He is awesome. He respected others no matter what. He let us go on field trips when we were out of school. H was honest and truthful. We all felt sad when he died. I will miss him very much.
    Yvonne

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  15. Coach Sam was a great guy. He taught me how to shoot a goal. I am sad that he died.
    Love,
    Curtis
    PS I miss him.

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  16. We miss Coach Sam very much and we are sad about losing him. One time we were playing dodgeball and we were on different teams and we kept getting each other out. When he was on different teams he helped our team anyway.
    Love,
    \Kaylyn

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