Rosella Sam

In loving memory of our mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Rosella H. Sam (Hunt), peacefully returned to the creator August 8, 2011.

She was born June 24, 1952 in Fort Defiance Arizona to Ruth Ann Joe and Emmerson Sam. She is a full blooded enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Rosella is survived by Paul Hunt Jr., son, Lavonna and Thatcher Heller, daughter and son-in-law and 5 grandchildren along with brothers and sisters from the Joe and Sam families. She had
experienced marriage one time in her life to Paul Hunt Sr. the father of her son and daughter.

Rosella was known as the ever faithful Salvation Army Holiday Bell Ringer for many years at the Chubbuck Smith's grocery store. Rosella, a strong minded and dedicated Native American woman held a driving passion to help people, which took her on many adventures and experiences. Her first great adventure began as a student at the Intermountain Indian Boarding School in Brigham City Utah. She later went on to attend Weber State College and University of Utah. She has accomplished many great feats. Working in collaboration with the Episcopal Diocese in Salt Lake City Utah, there she helped start an organization to help Native Americans who were in need of assistance ranging from counseling services, food, shelter or just a smile. Rosella also held various fundraising events and Pow-Wows for not only the Salt Lake community but for many other communities in Utah. She would even donate her time and volunteer at local hospitals, The American Red Cross, and many of the Veterans Organizations. She had worked many trades from constructing overpasses to building Solid Rocket Booster Nozzles for the Space Shuttles at Morton Thiokol. Rosella would be the poster woman for the term “Jackie of all trades.” In her private time she enjoyed watching movies, reading, listening to music and cooking. Rosella loved her home and always kept it clean and full of the most eye catching decorations. Her cats were her beloved companions and kept her smiling, but nothing made her happier than her time with her grandchildren, doing what she could to spoil them, even if it was giving them the last of her money that she would be trying to save for her Diet Coke. There was not anything that she could not do or get done. Rosella being a fan of the Marines Corps, she would often quote her favorite Clint Eastwood saying from the movie “Heartbreak Ridge,” “Improvise, Adapt, Overcome!” The strength, knowledge and joking personality that Rosella possessed will be her legacy, a fighter all her life, right to the end.

Rosella did not want a funeral service. She enjoyed it when family and friends got together and had happy times. As to honor her wishes, her family is holding a small intimate memorial service. Her family would like to thank everybody who helped Rosella through many of her hard times, laughed with her during the good times, and for those of you who just stood by her side supporting her. Rosella's family suggests memorial contributions be made to Rosella's Memorial Fund at Advantage Plus in Chubbuck.