Samuel Dearment

Samuel W. DeArment, husband, father, soldier, adventurer and entrepreneur, left this world on June 23, 2015 to continue his adventures into the unknown. He was born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, on February 1, 1945. Upon graduation from Lewistown High School Sam was invited by his draft board to join the Army. As with most things in his life, Sam naively, but enthusiastically, answered that call. He had little idea that he would soon be fighting a war in the jungles of a place called Vietnam. A graduate of Officer Candidate School Sam entered the war in a high energy, extremely dangerous job as an Artillery Forward Observer. Sam left Vietnam with some embedded shrapnel, a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, The Air Medal and Combat Infantrymen's Badge, as well as other citations. Sam was repeatedly exposed to a noxious substance the Army used to kill jungle growth. The US Army determined that Agent Orange had a direct connection to the lung cancer that caused his death so many years later. Sam left the Army as a Captain and the commander of an Artillery Battery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Sam and Jeanne met while attending Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. Sam thought marrying Jeanne was the very best thing that ever happened to him. He thought of Jeanne as the perfect partner and soulmate. They have two children, Stacey and her husband Jon Jarrett and Brad and his wife Jennifer. They have four wonderful and beautiful grandchildren, Mason and Samantha Jarrett, and Adanna and Chase DeArment. Sam is also survived by his sister Mae Miller (Lloyd) and his oldest friend, Tom Callen (Vilai). During their 46 years together, Sam and Jeanne traveled many places, always with an attitude for seeing and exploring the cultures of the world. A life-long ambition of Sam was to climb 20,000 foot Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. He did so at the age of 63. Jeanne wisely opted not to join him on that trek. Sam, always the entrepreneur, was involved in starting and managing several companies. Bio-Nutrition Laboratories, an animal health company Sam and Jeanne started twenty-three years ago, continued to be the primary family business until sold in 2015. They have owned and managed veterinary journal publications, executive office management leasing and other retail businesses. Sam loved to play golf with the "Outlaws" and other friends at Picacho Hills Country Club. He seldom failed to remind them of the lucky hole-in-one he had on number 8. It became such a joke that someone in his group would invariably mention it on that tee box. He was also a devoted fan of NMSU basketball. Sam learned to become something of a wordsmith over the years and he yearned to leave his grandchildren a lasting gift by composing a novel. Sam recently completed the book and a publisher is being sought. Many years ago, Sam also wrote a novel based on his experiences in Vietnam. Sam frequently expressed his appreciation of his family and friends for their thoughtfulness and kindness during his illness. He especially expressed thanks to personal friends who helped guide him through this difficult time. To his wife Jeanne, he bestowed the wish that she continue to have the best of everything that life can offer and that she keep kissing the Grandbabies for him and remind them how much Grandpa loved them. Sam's life will be celebrated at the Picacho Hills Country Club in Las Cruces on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at 3:00pm. Cremation remains will be interred at the National Military Cemetery in Santa Fe.