Deb, Sam, Kate (Sam’s sister) and David Spear in Saint Martin, the location of Kate’s 2013 wedding to Jean-Louis Delayen (not pictured).

Sam E. Spear ’09 grew up in the ’90s with multiple sports, a bit of childhood mischief, the trappings of the day – Batman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – and seemingly endless summers at the local pool.

When he arrived at Furman University, he came into his own, becoming an intensely driven fitness enthusiast in his major, health and exercise science.

But what made Sam different from most was his ability to connect with people of all ages, a skill that served him well as a personal trainer with The Cliffs at Glassy, a residential community tucked away in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“I think Sam’s main virtue was his ability to accept, and even to like almost anyone,” said Sam’s father, David, during a eulogy that came all too early.“From an early age, he was comfortable with other kids, but also with adults – really all sorts of people.”

Emeritus Professor of History David Spear shared a special bond with his son. He started reading to Sam each night from a history series when Sam was 6 years old and continued the bedtime ritual well into adolescence, when the pull of other interests prevailed over stories of world history. They shared a love of baseball, too, traveling in the summers to see 15 of the 30 Major League ball parks, sometimes hitting as many as