Samuel H. Bashein

Samuel H. Bashein
A child of immigrant Russian Jewish parents, Sam was born on January 24, 1926 and raised in Brooklyn, NY. In 1944, at the age of 18, Sam wanted to fly airplanes and volunteered for the Army Air Corp (later to be the Air Force). He passed all physical tests to be a pilot except for one. He didn’t realize he was color blind and was soon rejected for pilot status. About a month later he received his draft notice and chose to serve in the Army, serving two years with the 310th Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division and participated in the Battle of the Bulge and taking of the Remagen Bridge. After returning from the war he met his wife, Beverly Spandau, of New York City, while on vacation in the Catskill Mountains. They married in August 1953 and had three children, Stephanie Emerson of Eugene, Oregon, Valerie Hollobaugh of Mesa, Arizona and Robert Bashein of Kaysville, Utah.
For many years Sam tried to discover his profession. He started with owning a stationary store in New York City but soon realized he wasn’t much of a businessman. After starting their family, living in New Jersey by then, and with the suggestion from Beverly that he was good at fixing things, Sam attended night school and became a licensed electrician. He was known for his ability to fix anything and often helped friends with their heating, air conditioning and electric.
While working as an electrician, he attended more night school to be a licensed heating and air conditioning contractor. During this time Sam and Beverly were introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints and were baptized in 1969. From his knowledge of electrical, heating and air conditioning, Sam was hired to be a building inspector for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, traveling around the eastern side of the country inspecting chapels. Even while semi-retired in Alabama, and well into his 70s, Sam received numerous awards and recognition being the guy to go to at Home Depot.
He is survived by his 3 children, Stephanie Emerson, Valerie (Tom) Hollobaugh, Robert (Lorri) Bashein, 16 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. Preceding him in death are his parents, Leon Bashein and Martha Cohen, 5 siblings who died in infancy and his wife, Beverly Spandau Bashein.
A viewing will be held Wednesday, September 2nd, from 9:45 to 10:45 am and a Memorial Service from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at 270 West Burton Lane, Kaysville, UT Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Chapel. A graveside service with Military honors will be held September 4th at 10:00 am at the Baldwin County Cemetery, Robertsdale, Alabama.