Samuel Robert Branson

Samuel Robert Branson, born to Vernon and Rosie Branson November 4, 1939 in Effingham, Illinois passed from this life August 27, 2026. During his childhood years, his parents moved several times in Illinois and Missouri, finally settling in Etna, California in the beautiful Siskyou mountains.

At the age of 6 walking to school with a friend and crossing railroad tracks, his friend’s shoe got wedged in the tracks. The train was fast approaching, but Sam remained calm, untied the friend’s shoe and pulled him to safety just in time.

At 15, Sam went with an uncle to Georgia to work on a ranch. There he got his driver’s license. The ranch sold and he then traveled to Missouri to work for relatives skidding logs by mule for a sawmill. When that closed he went back to Etna helping his parents on a local ranch. At 17 he joined the army, spending training at Ft. Lewis, Washington, Ft. Chaffe, Arkansas and Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. From Ft. Sill he shipped out to Vicenza, Italy where he trained Italian soldiers with the honest John missile. He received an honorable discharge in 1960. While in Italy he was corresponding with a girl from Vici, Oklahoma. Finding they had much in common, he proposed to her sight unseen except from pictures and she accepted. In January of 1960, Rie and Hester Holeman took their daughter, Margaret to meet and pick up Sam at the Greyhound bus station in Clinton. Sam and Margaret were married Valentine’s day and remained together for 66 plus years until his death. March 10, 1960 they left for Etna, California in a 1947 Ford pickup with overdrive and $60.00 in their pocket. Sam got a job with a surveyor then at a local sawmill pulling green chain. In July of 1960, Margaret’s parents visited them in Etna and Sam and Margaret decided to return to Oklahoma at that time. Sam promptly found work with G. O. Williams in Sharon and later a cement co. in Woodward. In the following years they were blessed with two wonderful sons, Robyn in 1961 and Ryan in 1964. In 1961 Sam started to work for Dewy County Dist 3 under M. N. Cole, county commissioner. The job was from menial to operating heavy equipment, but he enjoyed the latter the most. He also worked for Edwin Poulson at times operating heavy equipment. When Mr. Cole’s term ended Sam worked for Farmers Co-op Association of Vici as LPG manager until two back injuries forced him to take early retirement disability.

In 2005 Sam purchased a used D3C dozer. Even though the back injuries still pained him, it seemed he was comfortable in the seat of that dozer. He loved running it and enjoyed several years clearing timber, building pads for trailer homes, and building a farm pond. Perhaps at times he took more chances than he should and got it stuck in the creek and pond. Thanks to some wonderful neighbors he was able to be pulled out.

Sam loved his family and being involved in their lives, teaching them to hunt, attending school activities, sports and helping with boy scouts. When grandkids came along, he enjoyed the role of grandfather and was involved in many activities with them, especially taking both the boys and girls hunting and attending their ballgames.

Sam and Margaret enjoyed many trips to California and other states. Needless to say, Sam lived a full and perhaps exciting life until bad health took its toll.

Preceding Sam in death are his parents, a sister-in-law, Carol Branson, a nephew Shawn Branson and nephew in-law, Brian Anders.

Sam is survived by his wife, Margaret of the home, son Robyn and wife Patti, son Ryan and wife Lisa, all of Vici, five grandchildren, Crissa Bailey of Wichita Falls, Tx., Cachly Branson of Vici, Coy Branson and wife Megan of Fairbanks, Alaska, Nathan Branson and wife Heather of Taloga, Kasi Allison and husband of Edmond, 14 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren, brothers Gene Branson of Weaverville, California, David Branson and wife, Autumn of Etna, California, Albert Branson and wife Linda of Etna, California, and sister Verna Newman of Medford, Oregon, many nephews and nieces, one uncle, Lyle Facey of Elsinnore, Utah and one aunt of Etna, California, other family and friends.

Memorial donations may be made to the
Camp Creek Church of the Nazarene (Building Fund)
c/o Shaw Funeral Home
P.O. Box 276
Vici, OK 73859.