Gerald 'Denny' Samara

Gerald "Denny" Samara

MORAVIA - Gerald "Denny" Samara, 85, of Moravia, passed away Saturday, April 20, 2024, at University Hospital with his wife and granddaughters by his side, after a lengthy illness.

Born in Auburn, the son of the late JoHanna (Lagambina) and Gerald Samara, Denny was a graduate of the last graduating class of Holy Family in 1958.

He had a love for baseball at the early age of 10, where he lived down the street from the Y-field on the corner of Swift and Mary Street, he would go on to spend most of his days there, from morning to night.

His father was one of the first managers when little league started up in Auburn. Later he and Joe Tobin started the Hook Wiltse League in Auburn.

His mother was in a league of her own. From the very first Little League Auxiliary, until she was unable to attend the games, she made things happen for the sport. She put together a huge rummage and bake sale that raised over $1500 in just two days, she wanted them to have uniforms, a perfect field to play and dugouts. Most knew her as Jenny, and for her quiet firmness and her, "you can do it" attitude.

Denny was always a fine athlete, as he played sports for both Auburn High and Holy Family, but he excelled most in baseball. He was offered a full scholarship to play for Hobart Collage, however he couldn't get his marks high enough to do so. He then had tryouts for the Cincinnati Reds, where he traveled to Florida for, throwing out his arm, and the NY Yankees farm teams. He played ball for Manager Frank "Babe" LoCastro in the state league.

Denny had many proud moments, including being inducted into the St. Francis Hall of Fame and in golf, scoring a hole-in-one at Dutch Hollow, and then on his next shot, hitting the flag on his drive. He played on several city champions in baseball, such as Clark Construction who were the champs of the National League Little Bigger League in 1953. He also played on the All-Star team that year and to the finals of the state tournament. He played many years of fast pitch softball for Curley's who were the Champs of the Independent League.

In high school, he starred for Holy Family and Auburn in baseball and basketball. He went on to be an umpire for several years afterwards.

Denny was an avid outdoorsman, with his love being for fishing and hunting, which he had done for the last 70 years. He had several nicknames from Ace to Bear. He was hunting on a hill where Auburn High stands today, many years ago, with his friend Joe Amoia. Back then, it was woods and swamp. Denny had slipped on the hill and rolled into the swamp below. When Joe saw him come up covered in mud, he told Denny that he looked just like a bear. Many of his years of hunting and fishing were done with his close friend, George Spinelli. Denny was a member of the NY State Big Buck Club, Falcons Sportsman Club and the UNC.

He first worked at the filtration plant before joining the service from 1964-1968. He then worked at Auburn Prison as a License Plate Inspector before going on to General Electric for two years, Auburn Pants Factory for seven years and the State DOT for 30 years, in which he retired from. While being in the military, he was a recipient of a Purple Heart during his service in Vietnam.

Denny met Sara, his wife in 2005, and were married two years later in 2007. When they first met, he had been living with one faulty kidney for almost a decade. His right kidney was removed in 1998 after cancer was discovered, and problems began with the remaining one within a year. He was on a donor list but had no idea if or when he would receive a transplant. After finding that none of his sons were a match with his kidney, Sara and Denny discovered they shared the same blood type. After being on dialysis for 11 months, many tests and delays, Sara's persistence and love for Denny, they found she was a match. Despite Denny's worry of something happening to his wife, the transplant took place on December 2, 2008, giving Denny a second outlet on life, something he was extremely thankful for and proud of. He would make sure to tell everyone he met, stranger or family, how much he cherished his wife. Sara received a certificate of appreciation from University Hospital and a Hero Award from the Red Cross.

He was extremely proud of his granddaughters, Melissa Hopkins and Johanna Hopkins. He loved to spend as much time as he could with them, leaving them with the fondest of memories of their loving grandfather.

An addition to his wife Sara; he is survived by his two girlfriends: Willow and Lola, who are already going stir crazy missing him; his mother-in-law, Carol Baildon of Moravia; sister, Diana (Kevin) Bryant of Camillus; sons: Brian Samara (Karen Woodruff Baity) of Union Springs, Todd Samara (Mike) of Chicago, Scott Samara of Conquest and Joe (Melissa) Samara of Liverpool; brothers-in-law: Mark and Matt Baildon and their families; nephews: Eric Bryant and Mark Bryant; grandchildren: Melissa Hopkins, Johanna Hopkins, Jade Wayne, Ashton Samara, Dominic Samara, Joey Samara, Jackson Samara and Rosina Samara; great-grandchildren: Thomas, Chace, Metro, Aden, Ayrabella, Anisa, Paisley and Cristian, Jr.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his father-in-law, Charles Baildon, the mother of his children, Nancy, and a great-grandson, Jackson Davis.

Anyone that knew Denny, knows that he was always a pleasure to be around. He shared many laughs and conversation with several close friends, of which some of them are: George Spinelli, Sal and Tammy Labaro, Teddy, Buck Wilson, John Lombardo, Dick Nye, Bump and Mary Warner, Normi Quill, Joe Genticore, Ron Saroka, Ted Zorick and Ormie King.

Ormie King quoted him to be much like the "Energizer Bunny", as he kept bouncing back from a lot of life's setbacks, and as John Cameron Swayze used to say in the Timex watch ads of years ago, "he takes a licking but keeps on ticking!"

F. Scott Fitzgerald quoted that there were no second acts in American lives, Denny sure did prove that wrong. He will be sorely missed by many.

Friends and family are invited to Pettigrass Funeral Home, Monday, April 29, 2024, 1:00-3:00 PM, located at 196 Genesee Street, Auburn, NY. There will be a Celebration of Life, held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the National Kidney Foundation, The Red Cross and the SPCA.

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