Sammye Lale

Sammye Vivienne Turner Lale, 90 of Abilene, passed away Saturday December 15, 2012 at Hendrick Medical Center. A memorial service is scheduled for 1:00 pm Thursday, December 20, 2012 at University Church of Christ, where Sammye was a member since 1964, under the direction of Piersall Benton Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St.

Sammye was born January 31, 1922 to Horace and Harriet Turner in Odell, Texas. She was raised in a family of six children in Chillicothe, TX. Numerous cousins, aunt, and uncles lived close. After graduating from Chillicothe High School, Sammye attended college in Canyon, TX for one year. After working in Chillicothe for a year or two, she returned to Amarillo and worked at Pantex where she met her future husband, Bob Lale. They married in Chillicothe in 1946, lived in Amarillo and then moved to Fort Worth. After Bob went to work for the Atomic Energy Commission, they lived in Los Alamos and Albuquerque, NM; Las Vegas, NV; Idaho Falls, ID; Downers Grove, IL and Oak Ridge, TN. While living there, Bob passed away in 1963. Following Bob's death, Sammye and her daughters moved to Abilene so that the girls could attend Abilene Christian University. Sammye and Bob's son Bob and his family lived in Albuquerque. Sammye worked for ACU for 18 years as a cashier in the Business Office. After retiring from ACU Sammye was a member of Women for ACU where she spent many hours with her sister Ouida and other friends "cutting up" chicken for casseroles. She enjoyed traveling with her sisters, brothers, and other family and friends. She traveled to forty-eight states including Alaska and Hawaii as well as other countries. One of her favorite places was Ruidoso, NM, where she spent many summers with family and friends. She loved good, fun family get-togethers especially when the grandchildren and great-grandchildren visited.

Sammye was a dedicated bridge player and she loved to play skip-bo with family and grandchildren. In her later years she would say she didn't remember how to play, but as soon as she started the game she would end up winning.

Surviving Sammy is her son Robert Lale, Jr. and wife Peggy of Albuquerque, NM, two daughters; Dana Ruth Lale Whitaker and husband Bo and Vicki Lynn Lale Blair and husband Tommy all of Abilene, two sisters; Carolyn Jo Etter and Ouida Maude Leese both of Abilene, a sister-in-law Nina Turner of Altus, OK, six grandchildren; Bobby Lale and wife Penny of Vancouver, WA, Chrissy Long and husband Dan of Albuquerque, NM, William Whitaker of Austin, TX, Cayce Thornton and husband Matt of Shaker Heights, OH, Cody Blair and wife Emily of Wichita Falls, TX and Kyle Blair and wife Erika of Austin, TX, nine great-grandchildren; Meg and Russell Lale, Zeke and Sophie Long, Madison, Harper Belle and Otto Thornton and Lucy Jane and Miles Blair as well as many other extended family members and close friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Bates Lale, her parents, Horace Brown Turner and Harriett Ruth Ross Turner, two brothers; Horace Turner, Jr. and wife Martina Turner and Dan Turner and a sister Tommye Catherine Combest and her husband Ted.

The family requests that donations be made in honor of Sammye to Christian Village, 633 E.N. 19th St, Abilene, 79601 or Christian Service Center, 901 Mesquite St, Abilene, 79601. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.