Obituary of Alice Susan Sam

With heavy hearts we announce that Alice Passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones on January 22, 2024 at the age of 91 years old.

She was born on October 20,1932 in Penticton, B.C to mother Edna Jack (Marcellay) and father Joe Jack Sr.  

She was born into a large family of 13 children. Six females and seven males.

Alice will be remembered as a person who touched you by her kindness and happy- go- lucky loving way of life and this way of thinking remained in your heart.

Her determination got her through the Residential school that she attended at St. Eugene in Cranbrook, B.C where Alice met her husband, Paul Sam. They moved to Brewster, Washington where she graduated High School. They got married and had 4 boys:  Dean, John, Nicholas, and Gordon. Her strength and determination led the family into school sports and afterwards to receiving  recognition and awards.

She worked for 20 plus years for Gamble Lumber Company as a bookkeeper. She also worked in the Brewster school division for 6 years as a Native homeschool coordinator.  She moved to Invermere in the late 70s /early 80s.

During her life in the Columbia Valley on the Shuswap Reserve, she worked for the Band as a bookkeeper and then as a councillor for almost 30 years.

She loved to travel and was always accompanied by someone.

Her old -school way of life was her secret to longevity in life: “just shrug it off, laugh and smile”. ….”

She will be deeply missed by all the souls she touched in her lifetime.

A Wake will take place at 5pm at the Shuswap Band Hall on January 26, and a Funeral Mass will take place at Canadian Martyrs Parish in Invermere at 11:00 am.

Following the Mass Alice will be interred at the Shuswap First Nations Cemetery.