Lt. Col. Samuel S. Humphrey

HUMPHREY, LT., Col. Samuel S., Ret. Lt., Col. Samuel S. Humphrey (US Air Force Retired) died Friday, (July 10, 2009) at the John Dempsey Hospital, UCONN Medical Health Center after a brief illness. Lt. Col Humphrey was born April 25, 1923 in Canton Center. He married a local Canton woman, the late Mary (Mills) Humphrey in February, 1945. They had been married 61 years before she passed away in 2006. Lt Col Humphrey attended Canton public schools, including the one room school house in Canton Center, and graduated from Canton High School in 1941. He entered the Army Air Corps in World War II, working his way through Aviation Cadets to become a Master Navigator. He was stationed in the South Pacific with the 433rd Troop Carrier group during the war including New Guinea, the Philippines, and the Japanese mainland. He navigated the first US airplane into Hiroshima after the bomb to measure the remaining radiation. After the war he graduated from the University of Connecticut majoring in Physics. He continued his education at Wesleyan University where he obtained a Master's Degree in Physics. He completed doctoral studies in Physics at the University of Utah. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and remained on active duty until retiring from the Pentagon as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1971. Lt Col Humphrey completed 29 years of military service, he returned to his home town of Canton and began 38 years of civic and public service. He was elected to the Board of Finance and served as the board's chairman for four years. He was then elected to the Board of Selectmen for six years. He served as the First Selectman for the Town of Canton from 1983 to 1987, during which time he oversaw the town's adoption of its charter form of government. After First Selectman, he returned eventually to the Board of Finance where he was at the time of his death and served for 18 years. He was member of the National Ski Patrol for 40 years. He and his wife Mary patrolled at Sundown Ski area, becoming Senior Patrollers and Hill Captains. He was named Sundown's Ski Patroller of the year in 1993. He joined the North Canton Volunteer Fire Department in 1974 and served for 24 years as a fireman and fire policeman. He was a prominent Christmas tree grower managing Humphrey's Cherry Brook Farm Christmas tree plantation. He was a member of the Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association, serving as their President and receiving the association's Merit Award in 2000. He was a member of the New England Christmas Tree Growers Alliance, serving as chairman of the alliance's Eastern States Exhibition Christmas tree exhibit for many years and assisting the New England Christmas Tree Conferences. He was awarded the alliance's Certificate of Appreciation in 2005. Locally in Canton, he was chairman of two Historic District Study Committees (Canton Center and Collinsville). He served on the Republican Town Committee for 36 years. He was treasurer and a trustee of the Canton Center Congregational Church for 13 years. He was a Justice of the Peace for 34 years. He taught Math and Physics at Canton High School. He was selected into the Canton High School Wall of Fame in 2004 for outstanding leadership, scholarship, and civic responsibility. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Warren and Deborah Humphrey of Groton MA, Ken and Mary Ann Humphrey of Canton and Marianne and Harold Burbank of Canton; his grandchildren, Harl Humphrey, Samuel Humphrey, Patrick Humphrey, Katie Humphrey, Benjamin Humphrey, Harold Haley Humphrey Burbank, and Anna Burbank. He is also survived by his brothers Harold Humphrey of Harwinton, Fred Humphrey of Guilford VT, and his sister Lucy Wong of Woodstock. He was predeceased by his sister, Ruth Humphrey of Canton Center. He leaves many loving nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and grand nephews. He was especially proud of saying that he, his two sons, his daughter-in-law, and his grand-daughter contributed 73 years of active military service serving during five wars. Friends may call at the Vincent Funeral Home, 120 Albany Turnpike, Canton, Tuesday, July 14, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. A memorial service will be celebrated Wednesday, July 15, 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Canton Center, 184 Cherry Brook Road, Canton Center with the Reverend Susan M. Prichard officiating. Private burial with military honors will be in Dyer Cemetery, Canton. Memorial donations may be made to the First Congregational Church, PO Box 133, Canton Center, CT 06020. For online condolences please visit www. vincentfuneralhome.com