Sam Paul Danna
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Sam Paul Danna
July 2, 1922 - March 11, 2015
Sam Paul Danna,
92, of Beaumont, died Wednesday, March 11, 2015. He was born on July 22, 1922, and had been a life-long
resident of the Beaumont area. Sam was born into a large Sicilian family led by
his father, Frank Paul, and mother, Lily Olivera Danna. Sam grew up surrounded
by seven brothers and six sisters. They lived in a three bedroom home sleeping
three and four children per bed. They were a very close knit family. His early
years were marked by time spent with family under the protection of his older
brothers and sweet sisters. Sam grew into a very good athlete excelling at
baseball and football. He and younger brother Charlie were the starting backfield
at David Crockett and Beaumont High School. When his family came to the games
to watch them play they filled their own section in the bleachers.
Sam graduated from Beaumont
High School in 1942 and joined the United States Air Force stationed in San
Antonio. He was a mechanic working on airplane engines and played baseball for
the AF team. While home on leave one Christmas he joined his family for
midnight Mass. His eye was directed to a beautiful black haired green eyed
girl. Sam told one of his brothers at Mass that he was 'Going to marry that
girl'. Eight months later on June 17, 1945, Sam Danna married Helen Leon
McCormick. They loved and laughed through sixty-nine years together raising
with much love four children, Sam Jr., Jimmy, Leo, and Cheri Bee.
Sam and his beautiful wife
move to San Antonio to finish his commitment to the Air Force. He was the
starting pitcher for the baseball team. Sam was so good that the Captain of the
base, Peter Maida, of Beaumont, would remove Sam's name from deployment orders
so that he could continue to pitch for the team. He was mustered out of the
service in February of 1946. He left the service achieving the Rank of Sergeant
and the best pitcher in the Air Force. Sam, Helen, and first son, Sam Jr., move
back to Beaumont where he works with his sweet sister, Katy, in the grocery
store. They operated their store near the railroad tracks on Crockett Street
serving the black neighborhoods in the area. Sam would never leave the food
business. He worked for over thirty years with The Phelan Company selling
coffee and other food products to restaurants in Jefferson County. In 1983, at
the age of 61, Sam (Pop) and Helen purchased a downtown landmark restaurant named
the Quality Café from Batista Girolomo, the original owner. They successfully
operated the restaurant until 2005 when it was wiped out by Hurricane Rita. In
2009, Sam’s daughter Cheri reopened The Café on that site. Pop at 90 years old
could be found there with his apron on busing tables, shaking hands, and
extending love to anyone within his purview. Pop loved his family and he
extended that out to others. The Quality and The Café were the gathering place
for the family and friends to share some "quality time".
One of the great pleasures of
Sam's (Pop) life was to play horseshoes with his sons on the beach on Bolivar
Peninsula. It became a family tradition as each of the grandsons came of age to
the join the Danna men on the coast for 'Brothers Weekend'. The word special
does not adequately define those times with Pop. The weekends were marked with
much laughter, fishing, good food, and cold beer. But nothing compared to the
competitiveness of the horseshoe tournament. It was a two day event. Teams were
developed among the brothers and grandsons. These teams played together for up
to thirty years. But perhaps the best team was Pop and son Leo. They won every
tournament for years with Pop throwing ringer after ringer. Pop played in his
last tournament and won it with his partner Leo at the age of 88. The roar of
the men in the family rooting Pop on to victory and eventual win will never be
forgotten.
Sam Danna typifies all that is good in a man. He loved the
Lord Jesus with a life centered in prayer. Sam loved his wife Helen exclusively
and tenderly for sixty-nine years. He loved his children devoting time to each in
sports, school, and health issues. Sam had a way to make each child feel very
special. His love of family is manifested in his four children, fourteen grandchildren
and seven and three-fourths (due in two weeks) great-grandchildren. When the
Family shows up we take up most of the section. The Family continues......
He is survived by his loving
wife, Helen; children, Sam Danna, Jr. and his wife, Teresa; Jimmy Danna; Leo
Danna and his wife, Pam; and Cheri Parigi and her husband, Gerard; grandchildren, Jason Danna and his wife,
Wendy; Leighanne, Samantha, and Alexandra Danna; Helen Edgar; Justus, Jordan,
and Jesi Danna; Matthew Danna and his wife, Dana; Seth and Leo Danna; Courtney
Parent and her husband, Michael; Sam Parigi and his wife, Joanna; and Patrick
Parigi; great- grandchildren, Haley,
Avery, and Sydney Danna, Monroe Danna, League and Walker Parent, and Alina
Parigi and his sister, Nina Chirafis.
He is preceded in death by his
parents; seven brothers; and five sisters.
A Christian Vigil for Mr. Danna will be
at 6:00 p.m., Sunday, March 15, 2015, at Broussard's, 2000 McFaddin Avenue,
Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 16, 2015, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 2715 Calder,
Beaumont, with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
Memorial contributions may be made to
Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, 5950 Kelly Drive, Beaumont, Texas 77707;
Some Other Place, P.O. Box 843, Beaumont, Texas 77704; or to St. Anne Catholic
Church, P.O. Box 3429, Beaumont, Texas 77704.
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