Mr. Edwin Boyer Sams and Ms. Sydney Sams Beard
The Clarence Sams Memorial Endowed Scholarship was established in memory of the late Clarence Sams by his niece and nephew, Ms. Sydney Sams Beard and Mr. Edwin Boyer Sams to ensure that future generations of Cocke County residents have access to a college education. Clarence Sams graduated first in his class at the University of Tennessee with a degree in agronomy and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduation, Sams served under General George S. Patton and was also in the Battle of the Bulge, earning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. Following the war, Sams returned to Del Rio, where he spent the rest of his life working as both a food broker for Stokely-Van Camp and a farmer.
Sams was involved in numerous charitable and civic organizations, including the Lion's Club and Del Rio Ruritan Club. He also had an avid interest in the history of Cocke County, contributing to its preservation through the local historical society. After Walters State was established in 1970, Sams recognized and valued the college's mission to provide higher education opportunities to the people living in the area.
Scholarships associated with Mr. Edwin Boyer Sams and Ms. Sydney Sams Beard