Samuel Peter Ingram

Noted artist and cultural leader of Sun City, Arizona, Samuel Peter Ingram, passed away on Tuesday, April 3, 2007, at Baptist Village, Sun Ridge in Surprise, Arizona, following several periods of illness. Samuel Ingram had a varied and highly diverse career, including over 32 years of military service as a Naval aviator spanning 4 major conflicts and logging many thousands of flight hours in both conventional and jet aircraft. Captain Ingram served around the globe as well as in Washington, D.C. in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and Joint Chiefs of Staff. His multi-faceted career includes outstanding achievements as an illustrator, political cartoonist, photographer, consultant to NASA for the Manned Space Program, and as a novelist. His success in the corporate arena came as an advertising and marketing executive for several of the nation¹s largest corporations, and the corporate vice president of one of the country¹s largest shipping companies. In 1952, he was commissioned to write, design and illustrate the official program for the inauguration of President Eisenhower. In 1980, he was commissioned to illustrate a full color book for the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Sam came from a family of artists. He was reared in Texas ranching country where he developed an early fondness for western and Indian lore and started painting at an early age. At the young age of 14, he was actively doing commercial art for oil, furniture, and brewing companies and designing theatrical stage scenery. He won several art scholarships, and chose to attend college at North Texas State University. While there he was awarded an additional scholarship to study in Mexico where he enhanced his artistic skills under Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco, and Carlos Merdia. During his Naval career, he continued to paint, whether ashore, aboard ship or in combat. Sam and his late wife, Mary, moved to Sun City, Arizona, in 1978 where he spent his time either painting or writing and assisting his wife in musical performances where they worked as a team performing and producing various musicals. They were members of Sun City Christian Church where Mary sang in the choir. During this time many of Sam¹s works were featured in several single artist exhibits across the nation. A few years ago as Sam neared his retirement as a producing artist, he donated a collection of over 200 paintings and sketches, and nearly 300 artifacts with a historical significance to the time periods depicted in the art, to Oklahoma Christian University. In this collection, Sam was able to capture the spirit of our nation in his art. Sam¹s art was often influenced by his concern for the moral and spiritual direction of his country. He held a desire to depict, through his art, the strong relationship of Judeo-Christian principles and the founding and history of our nation. These works of art, inspired by Sam¹s lifelong love for the Untied States, illustrates some of the events and factors that have made this nation the great country that it is. Sam¹s Book, America¹s Call To Freedom, describes these colorful paintings and has a compelling text that traces the origins of the United States to the birthplace of Judeo-Christian ideas and takes the reader on a spirited journey from the Holy Land to 20th century America. Those who mourn, yet hold loving memories of Sam include nephews: Jim Ingram and wife, Pat, of Houston, Texas; Mike Holton and wife, Vicky, of Murray, Kentucky; Jerry Franklin and wife, Gail, of Bloomington, Minnesota; nieces: Patsy Holton of Murray, Kentucky; Judy Jamtass and husband, Phil, of Los Angeles, California; Jamye Smith and husband, Dave, of Mapleton, Oregon; Aunt Jamye Green of Umatilla, Florida; cousins: Edsom Ingram and wife, Helen, of Austin, Texas; Judy Powers and husband, Dale, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sam was an important part of his late wife¹s (Mary) family, and they all loved, respected, and admired him very much. These loved ones include brother-in-law, Norman Cates and wife, Louise, of Springhill, Louisiana; sister-in-law, Melba Kelley of Fort Worth, Texas; niece, Sherry Allen and husband, Russell, of Houston, Texas; nephews, Jim Kelley of Amarillo, Texas; David Cates and Norm Cates and wife, Illena, of Atlanta, Georgia; and the late Allen Gene Cates. Memorial services for Sam will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, April 14, 2007 at Sunland Mortuary, 15826 Del Webb Boulevard in Sun City, Arizona 623-933-0161. Expressions of sympathy and remembrance may be offered in Sam¹s name to Sun City Christian Church or Oklahoma Christian University, Box 11,000, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73136-1100, Attention Dr. Mike E. O¹Neal, President - for Ingram Exhibit.