LEON SAMS

OLIVE BRANCH, Ill. -- Leon Sams, 81, of Olive Branch died Sunday May 11, 1997, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

He was born Aug. 5, 1915, in Alexander County, the son of William Franklin and Josephine Henderson Sims. On April 2, 1951, he married Dorothy Irey Isom.

He was retired from farming and construction. He was a member of the Laborers International Union and the Farm Bureau.

He belonged to the Trinity Assembly of God Church in Olive Branch and served on its board of trustees.

Survivors include: his wife, two stepdaughters, Rita Browning and Norma Winn of Olive Branch; two stepsons, Gene Isom of Gainesville, Fla., and Jack Isom of Huntsville, Ala.; three sisters, May Bradshaw of Olive Branch, Ethel Miller of Carbondale, and Gladys Johnson of Washington, D.C.; 16 stepgrandchildren, 29 stepgreat-grandchildren and six stepgreat-great-grandchildren.

One stepson, two sisters and five brothers preceded him in death.

Friends may call after 6 p.m. today at Crane Funeral Home in Tamms.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the Revs. Carl Hester and James Drysdale officiating. Interment will be in Olive Branch Cemetery.