Samuel "Sam" Bean

1946 - 2023

BEAN, Samuel "Sam" Samuel Dawell Bean passed away on Friday, February 17, 2023, in Irving, Texas. He was 76 years old and revered for his decades of passionate work on behalf of public schools across the State of Texas. Sam was born on April 1, 1946, to S.H. and Virginia Bean in McCamey, Texas. He grew up in Rankin, Texas where he graduated from high school as the salutatorian of the Class of 1964. He went on to study Social Studies and Education at Angelo State University in San Angelo. He later furthered his education obtaining a Master's Degree in Education Administration from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Starting his education career in the small town of Robert Lee, Texas, Coach Bean assisted with all sports, but had a state-qualifying track team. From there, he would move to Littlefield where he served for eighteen years as a Wildcat Football coach, Lady Wildcat basketball coach, and an administrator for Littlefield High School. Mr. Bean would go on to serve as a principal in San Elizario near El Paso and open a new middle school (T.A. Howard) in Mansfield ISD. The last several years of his educational career were as the Captain (principal) of the Viking Ship at Nimitz High School in Irving and as the lead administrator of the Wheeler Transitional Center in Irving ISD serving students with special needs. Sam met his match when he met Cindy. He and Cindy married on March 22, 1993. Cindy, also a school administrator, became the principal of MacArthur High School in Irving while Sam was at Nimitz. For several years, the football rivalry between the two schools was knows as the "Bean Bowl." Sam is preceded in death by his parents, S.H. Bean, Jr., and Virginia Lovell Bean, and a brother, Kenneth. He is survived by his wife Cindy of Irving, sons Jason of Sherman and Jeremy and his wife Jincy of Granbury, grandsons Brennan (Lily) of Fort Worth, Brett of Stephenville, a sister, Sharon Young (Tom) of Brownfield, and a brother, David Bean (Sanne) of Houston, many nieces and nephews and their children. He is also survived by numerous friends, former co-workers from his many schools, and thousands of former students who knew him as that hardline coach or principal with a well-hidden soft spot for his players and students. Sam's family will host a Celebration of Life reception at the Omni Las Colinas on March 5, 2023, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. The address is 221 Las Colinas Boulevard East, Irving, TX. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that friends and family consider a memorial donation to the Irving Schools Foundation at https://irvingschoolsfoundation.org/donation/ or via mail to P.O. Box 152637, Irving, TX, 75015-2637, or in person at 2621 W. Airport Freeway, Irving, TX.