Samuel C. "Sam" Northey

Samuel C. Northey, Lieutenant Colonel USAF (retired), took flight for the heavens on June 13, 2024, on the wings of angels and the wings of the DC-4s and B-25’s that he was so fond of flying as an Air Force Pilot.

Sam was born on January 2,1929, in Willoughby, Ohio, to Wesley and Marguerite Northey. He left the family home at age thirteen for a college preparatory school, Houghton Boarding Academy, in New York state. His real adventures began after graduation from Wheaton College in 1950 when he enlisted in the United States Air Force with the promise of Officer Candidate School. He began his career as an Air Force Police Officer, then successfully set his sights on becoming the alpha dog, an Air Force Pilot. As a pilot Sam flew from McGuire AFB in New Jersey to England, Scotland, Germany, France, Spain, North Africa, and the Near East. Later, he was assigned to Rhein Main Air Base in Germany followed by an assignment in Chateauroux, France, and completing his career at Scott Air Force Base near St. Louis, MO. Sam retired from the USAF in 1971 with numerous medals, citations, commendations, and awards.
After the military, in one of his smartest moves ever, Sam picked Missoula, Montana, off a map for his next destination where he established a successful real estate business and spent one of the best decades ever, raising his family with all kinds of outdoor adventures!

Sam’s most rewarding life adventure was meeting and marrying his beloved Alice with whom he spent 55 active years on the move, chasing surf, sand, sun, water, fish, game, golf, and family. He was unconditionally, unequivocally, without exception devoted to one person, his love, his Alice.

Sam was:
•a wanderer – living in Ohio, New York, New Jersey, France, Germany, Illinois, Montana, Washington, Colorado, Alabama, and Wyoming

•a skilled, avid outdoorsman – hunting for game and fowl and fishing on any body of water willing to host his boats

•a black diamond skier - on the slopes of Sun Valley, Aspen, Vail, Winter Park, and Snow Bowl

•a remarkable golfer – playing regularly for seven decades through April of this year, shooting his age or better over 227 times

•a gourmet – specializing in Coq au vin, escargot, Oysters Rockefeller, hand churned ice cream, wild game special sauces, and dry vodka martinis with a twist of lemon

•a slalom water skier – on the vast waters of Flathead Lake

•a role model – valuing loyalty, integrity, intelligence, hard work, devotion, strength, character, charm, and the love of his family.

•a challenge – sometimes impatient, impertinent, stubborn, demanding, commanding, and impulsive

•a lone wolf – independent, self-reliant, self-supporting, self-determined, and resilient

•a doer - a get up and goer, a thinker, planner, fixer, an object in motion that stayed in motion

•a dog dad to lucky Schnauzers with Marli Pooh starting the trend, and Alfie (not a Schnauzer, but a Yorkie mix) being the last to steal his heart

•a family link – a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, son

•a Dad – to Wesley Northey, Michael Northey, Patti Nemeth, Eric Northey, Valerie Braughton, and Bob Bailes

•a devoted husband – proving that love has no bounds

•a believer – because if God gave us his son to teach us how to live and love, and if God gave him his Alice with the promise that they would be reunited, that was all he needed to believe

Sam was a green golf course, a calm lake, a hunting camp, a fishing spot, a ski hill, a family gathering, a day on the boat, an RV trip, a great dinner, a cruise, a flourishing tomato plant, a smoked salmon, a holiday meal, a new cologne, an action plan, a detailed list, a bowl of ice cream, a builder of homes, a garage full of tools, a road trip……..a Renaissance man.

Sam, the colonel, was loved.

To share a memory of Sam or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.