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Samuel Elton Ganster, age 87 of Purcell passed away peacefully at his home early Thursday morning September 26, 2013.
Sam was born on February 25, 1926 in Meadville, Pa, the eighth of nine children born to Harry and Naomi Wave (Cutchall) Ganster.
Sam spent his youth in Meadville, attending school there and married his high school sweetheart Evelyn Pauline “Honey” O’Shea when they were only eighteen.
Shortly thereafter Sam was inducted into the US Army and served the next two years in WWII in Europe. He was attached to the Rainbow division, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, was wounded in combat, and earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
Following his honorable discharge, Sam returned to Meadville and began working several jobs to support his young wife and new baby son. When a scrap metal dealer offered him a better job in Purcell with Oklahoma Alloys, the young family relocated to Norman for the next year. After that year Sam was sent to Arizona to manage their plant there. The next year he was returned to Purcell. The company later sold Oklahoma Alloys to Sam and a partner which marked the beginning of Purcell Alloys. Many years later this partnership dissolved and Sam continued to operate the plant until he retired in 1994.
Throughout his life Sam enjoyed traveling much aided by his niece Karen Tessmer who was in the Foreign Service serving as secretary to many foreign ambassadors in many locations in her long career. Sam and Honey visited most of the European countries, Jamaica, Afganistan, Honduras, and Greece. When Sam teamed up with Ernie Thompson in several small business ventures, the Thompsons (Ernie & Rita) began to travel together. They went back east almost every year, visited many other states, Mexico and Ireland.
In June of 2000, both Honey & Ernie passed away & in 2002 Sam & Rita married. They have continued to travel until Sam’s health deteriorated this year. Sam loved Purcell. He was proud to have served 10 years on the hospital board (3 as president) and was active in Rotary since 1965. He enjoyed golfing, fishing, reading, and keeping up his home place. He was a kind and generous man with many loyal friends and great neighbors. He was strong in his faith.
He was preceded in death by: His parents, His wife, Honey, All of his siblings, And his son Lowell of Norman,
He is survived by: His wife Rita of the home, 4 Grandchildren: Dawn Ganster of MN, Shani Stanley of Lexington, Jessica Smith of Moore, Brian Joe Ganster of Lexington, Many nieces & nephews, Sister-in-law: Charlotte La Plant of Ketchum and Special friend & helper Rod Forbes.
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