Sammie Nell Gammill

We are saddened to announce the passing of our mother, sister and grandmother Sammie Nell Gammill of Huntington, Tx. Sam passed away on December 17, 2022 with both of her children by her side in Huntington. She was the fourth of five girls born on November 21, 1949 to Sammie Neill Morris and Aline Phillips Morris in Tyler, Tx. They wanted a boy so bad they named her after her father. Sam was raised in Shreveport where she found a lifelong love of squirrel hunting, fishing, and softball. Sam moved to Lufkin in 1970, and soon after started as a telephone switchboard operator at the Lufkin Telephone Company, where she retired from in 2003 after thirty-one years of service. She had two children, Patti and Patrick, who she loved dearly. Sam was well known for being a great pitcher in both fast pitch and slow pitch. Her kids were practically raised at the ball field because Sam was either playing ball or coaching a team. Once her children were old enough to participate, they split their time between the ball field and the BMX track. Sam loved anything outdoors and adored sharing the outdoors with her children and her grandchildren. In the summer at least one, if not multiple, grandchildren were at her house ready to go run the trotlines. She had an almost uncontrollable laugh when a catfish as big as the grandchild pulling it up broke the surface and would scare them, so they dropped the line. This happened often enough she had to get an oversized dipnet because the fish wouldn’t fit in the regular dipnets. Sam also enjoyed playing card and dice games with her sisters, as well as going to the boats in Shreveport. There were many nights when the sisters were all together, and they would stay up all night playing Farkle and talking. They all enjoyed traveling together as well. She always had great stories to share about their Europe trip. She loved to cook and would feed anybody; she always said “there’s plenty, make a plate”. Sam was a collector of things, from antiques to coins to coffee cans. She loved to share her collections with her family, but it always came with a disclaimer - do not sell it; this is mine, when you are done with it, I’ll take it back. She loved to share everything she had with her family, but most of all she loved her kids and grandkids.

Sam is preceded in death by her parents, Neill and Aline Morris, sister Ann Cybulski, and husband Fred “Bud” Basey.

She is survived by daughter Patti Gammill Holcombe of Huntington, son and daughter in law Patrick and Stephanie Gammill of Lufkin, sisters and brother in laws Mary and Larry Rowell of Arab, Al. Judy and Ray Bickham of Haughton, La. Lynne and Bill Duncan of Shreveport La. granddaughter Stephanie Phillips of Lufkin, grandson Cody and wife Katelyn Miller of Lufkin, grandson Shane and wife Melinda Gammill of Huntington, granddaughter Brittanie and husband Jason Porter, Lufkin, grandsons Cy and Ty Holcombe of Huntington, great grandchildren Emory, Adalee, Raylen and Cason, numerous nieces and nephews, and the Bud Basey family.

The family wants to acknowledge the Meadows Assisted Living and the staff for the kindness and hospitality. Harbor Hospice for the love and care they provided in her last few days. And a special thanks to Dr. Lenin Pinnamaneni and Dr. Pavan Pinnamaneni for the care they gave Sam over the years.

There will be a private memorial service held for Sam at a later date.