from the May 10, 2007, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (with additional information from the May 17, 2007, Monroe County Sun):
EUDORA - Samuel Stephen Breeding I, 58, of Eudora died Tuesday, May 8, 2007. He was born Jan. 20, 1949, in Stuttgart, Ark., to Jessie Denver Breeding and Agnes Marie Schmid Breeding.
Sam grew up in the Holly Grove area and was a 1967 graduate of Holly Grove High School. He met and married Correne Bennett and together they raised three children.
Over the years, Mr. Breeding worked at several different jobs. In his youth he was the captain of a towboat on the Mississippi River. For the last few years, until his health failed in October 2006, he worked for Fortenberry Farms in Lake Providence, La.
Mr. Breeding loved to cook and was a partner in the Turnrow Cooking Company. In his earlier days he would fish and hunt but what he enjoyed most was going to the camps and cooking for everybody. He entered and won numerous cooking contests and raised frunds for the Arkansas Children's Hospital, cooking for the Wild Game Supper and other fund-raisers and charities.
As his son, Little Sam, was growing up, he coached his Little League team and had lots of fun emceeing high schol rodeos. He was a member of Bingham Road Baptist Church and the Delta Men's Association,
His parents, Denver and Marie Breeding; brothers, Jim B. Breeding and Richard "Rabbit" Breeding; and granddaughter, Leslie Reinhart, preceded him in death. Survivors include the mother of his children, Correne Breeding; son, Samuel Stephen Breeding II and wife Samantha of Benton; two daughters, Cheryl Denise Reihart and husband Will of Little Rock, and Stephanie White of Keo; grandchildren, Jordan Jared Muir, Samuel "Trey" Stephen Breeding III, Parker Alexander Reinhart and Sadie Marie Breeding; two sisters, Jenny Miller and husband Frank of Holly Grove and Sandra Fisher of Little Rock; a brother, Lloyd Breeding and wife, Joy, of Avon, Miss.; and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Services were held 2 p.m. Friday, Bob Neal and Sons Chapel-Clarendon. Visitation: 1-2 p.m. before funeral services. Interment: Shady Grove Cemetery, Bob Neal and Sons Funeral Home-Clarendon.
Pallbearers were Rip Bilberry, Curt Rankin, Dale Scrivner, Marty Albright, Mike Myers, Matt Fortenberry, Tony Thomas, Johan Loewen, Grady Keith and Gary Armstrong. Honorary pallbearers were Delta Men's Association members.
A special thanks to Little Rock Cancer Clinics, Dr. Kamanda and her wonderful staff, St. Vincents CARTI and Arkansas Hospice. Memorials may be given to Arkansas Hospice Foundation, 5600 West 12th Street, Little Rock, Ark. 72204-1717.
-- Edited by Jane Dearing Dennis at 22:39, 2007-06-07
-- Edited by Jane Dearing Dennis at 22:40, 2007-06-07
