Samuel Spevack

1922 - 2020

Samuel 'Sam' Spevack
July 9, 1922 - December 31, 2020
La Jolla
Samuel "Sam" Spevack, born on July 9, 1922, in Boston, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on December 31, 2020, in his home in Rancho Mirage, surrounded by family. Filled with gratitude and eternal optimism, he was driven by the love of family and country. He proudly served in the U.S. Army during WWII as a radioman in the Army Air Corps (Air Force) stationed in the Mariana and Hawaiian Islands. He was recognized with a Presidential Unit Citation, Pacific Ocean Areas Combat Ribbon, and a Bronze Star.Sam had a sharp wit, a wonderful sense of humor, and a marvelous memory for telling hundreds of impeccably timed jokes to family and friends. He enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles, singing songs, and being in the company of his family, whom he deeply loved. On his ninety-fifth birthday, his children honored him with a plaque on the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, California. When called upon to speak, he was so articulate and sincere; there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd.Sam was President and CEO of a mortgage firm, which at one time was the third-largest brokerage in California. As a civic leader in Rancho Mirage (RM), he was President of the RM Rotary and an active member of the Children's Discovery Museum. He chaired the extraordinarily successful Duck Pluck fundraiser for the Children's Discovery Museum. He was a trustee of the Institute of Critical Care, campaign advisor to a city councilwoman's re-election campaign, commissioner of RM Housing as well as a board member of Concerned Citizens of RM. His devotion to community involvement resulted in national recognition from Senator Barbara Boxer, Congress Women Mary Bono, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Locally, he received the Key to the City of RM from the Mayor, Service Citation from Rotary International, Man of the Year for Rancho Mirage Rotary, and Riverside County Senior Inspiration Award.He is survived by his wife and loving companion, Roslyn Gayler of Rancho Mirage; daughters, Janice Sedloff (Michael) of La Jolla and Harriet Cameron (Stephen Simmonds) of Encino; grandchildren, David Cameron (Brooklynn), Brandon Sedloff (Jenna), and Erin Sedloff (Ted Dayno); great-grandchildren, Cayden, Dylan, Katalina, Makena, Maya and Zoe; and a large family of stepchildren/grandchildren/great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of his children, Bernice Spevack, in 1994.Sam loved life, loved family, and loved his country. Sam's family cherished and loved him deeply. In Sam's words, "from a sixteen-year-old, working on a milk truck (his first job to help support his mother), I lived to become the head of a large family. I see myself surrounded by more love than I could have ever dreamed." Please sign the guest book online at legacy.com/obituaries/ lajollalight