Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Weatherford, Leo Keith “Sam”


Weatherford,
Leo Keith
“Sam”

Chugiak resident, Sam Weatherford, 76, died Sunday, August 19, 2012 at home surrounded by his family.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the home in Chugiak on Saturday, August 25th, 1-5pm.
Sam was born July 22, 1936 in Ventura, CA to Leo and Dorothy Weatherford.

He grew up in California and served in the 82nd Airborne.

He owned United Body & Fender in Spokane, WA before coming to Alaska in 1981 with his son, Jon, and wife, Marsha.
While in Alaska he worked for Alaska Sales & Service, Anchorage Autobody, Cronquist Corners and Wilton Adjustment Service.

He retired from Wilton’s in 2000 and opened his own business Sam Weatherford Consultant out of the home until 2009 when he retired due to illness.
Sam loved golf, archery, hunting and fishing.

He was past president of the Autobody Craftsman Assn., I-Car instructor, past Legislative VP of the Alaska Bowhunters Assn., past president of Northwest Archers, past president of Alaska State Archery Assn, past NFAA Alaska State Director, one of the founders of Cook Inlet Archers, past Chairman of the Board of Isaac Walton gun club and past member of the Fish & Game advisory board and Blacksheep Bowmen on J-BER as well as a past member of the National Scuba Divers Assn.
Sam was a competitive archer and bowhunter.

If there was a tough target setup at an archery shoot you could hear the other shooters grumble and say “Sam must have set that one”.
He spoke “fish” and took many trophy animals in North America and Africa with his bow.

He attended many national archery tournament and always brought back to his friends new ideas and “toys”.

He represented Hoyt Archery in Alaska for many years.

He was also one of the officials for archery at the 2005 Great Outdoor Games in Orlando, FL.

He was also very proud of helping to bring the National Archery in the School program in Alaska.


Sam loved life and his family including his dogs, Pearl and Mac.

When he lived in Spokane he loved to pick huckleberries but wanted to make sure that more went into the bucket than in his mouth.

He was a hard worker all his life with a great sense of humor.


He is survived by his wife, Marsha; brother Pete and sister-in-law Jeannie; son, Mike, Spokane; son, John, Wasilla; daughter, Terri Cable, Sandpoint, ID; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles; sister-in-law, Leta Walters; brother-in-law Tracy Walters; sister-in-law Oleta Cook and brother-in-law Jim Cook.
He was preceded in death by his father, Leo; mother, Dorothy; uncles, Bruce, Otto, Paul, Tom; aunt Betty and grandma Rose.
Arrangements are by Evergreen Memorial Chapel, Eagle River.

In lieu of flowers Sam would want donations to me made to “Wounded Warriors” and the American Kidney Foundation.