Samuel A. Kaplan

1927 - 2023

Sam passed away peacefully in his bed on 12/3/23, surrounded by family. Sam was a man of principle and conviction, always available for encouragement, guidance, wisdom, love and friendship, and was adored and respected by everyone who knew him. Born in Springfield, MA on 9/18/27, as part of a close knit and loving family, he was the sixth of seven children born to Abraham and Rebecca Kaplan. He was a great student, loved to play sports, and was known to stand up to bullies when needed, defending himself and his friends. When Sam was 17 and still in high school, World War II was raging and, to the dismay of his mother, Sam convinced his father to allow him to enlist, joining all three older brothers fighting for this country. Sam served in the Navy on the destroyer USS Haverfield and participated in the last big battle of WWII, the battle for Okinawa. While earning a degree in chemistry at UMass Amherst, Sam met his partner for life, Fay Karp (Kaplan) who was attending the University of CT. They were married in 1952 and settled to raise a family in West Hartford, where they lived for 40 years. They also spent some of the best times of their lives in Old Saybrook, CT, and in the mid-1990s they discovered Pelican Cove in Sarasota, FL, where they enjoyed a wonderful retirement in an active and stimulating community. Sam had a fulfilling and successful career, serving for over 30 years as a senior executive in the graphics industry, traveling all over the world. Sam loved to play tennis and sing. He had a smooth voice, sounding a bit like vintage Frank Sinatra, and sang in several groups, dazzling his audiences-especially the ladies. Sam was the constant caregiver to Fay in her last years and vowed that he would never put her in a memory care facility as long as he was alive. Sam leaves behind several lights of his life-his children, Rick and Susan; his daughter-in-law Julie; his grand kids, Adam and Jade, to whom he was Poppa; and Maggie, his beloved dog who brought him so much joy. He also leaves behind wonderful relatives and friends including his caregivers-Irene, Lisa, Kerry, Gail, Peggy, and others who provided loving care after Fay's death and in Sam's last years with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Sam will be remembered at a funeral service at Weinstein Mortuary, 640 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT on Friday, December 8, at 11:30am (welcoming guests starting 10:45am) followed by a burial service at Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford, CT. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations made in Sam's name are most appreciated. Sam was a strong advocate and leader in the Final Exit Network, devoted to ensuring that people with terminal illness have the right to die with dignity. Other suggested organizations include Hadassah and Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Sam will be sorely missed and leaves a strong legacy of cherished memories and a better world for the many people he touched.