Samuel LeRoy "Sam" Shields

Samuel LeRoy Shields was born December 23, 1921 in Afton, Iowa the son of Charles Albert and Pearl May (Davison) Shields. He was living at Karcher Assisted Living, Nampa, Idaho with his wife Cecilia until he passed peacefully February 11, 2020 at the age of 98. 

After he graduated from high school in May of 1939, Sam, his mother Pearl and his brother Donald moved from Iowa to Meridian, Idaho and worked various jobs. In the spring of 1940, they moved to Cascade where his eldest sister Lottie Watson and her family lived.  

Sam was a WWII veteran in the 874th Airborne Engineers. He served in the South Pacific Theater in New Guinea, Philippine Islands and Japan as a Staff Sergeant. He returned to Idaho December 1945. He reenlisted in Army Reserves as a Sergeant in the Corps of Engineers June 1946 and was called back to service 1950 for the Korean War and received an honorable discharge September 1951.

After he married Cecilia Urquiaga on October 18, 1952, he worked for Morrison Knudsen on both the Brownlee and Oxbow dams and lived in the states of Washington, Montana, Utah and Oregon before they moved to Burley, Idaho where he worked for the City of Burley Engineering Department. In January, 1964 Sam started working as a surveyor for the City of Nampa Engineering Department. Later he became the Nampa City Building Inspector and enjoyed surveying on the side. Sam took great pride in his work. He became licensed in plumbing, electrical work and helped develop higher standard building codes at that time, and in addition was appointed to leadership positions within the Northwest Chapter of Building Inspectors and retired in 1983. 

Sam also enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting with his family. He often commented that he has lived a wonderful life.

He is survived by his wife Cecilia Shields; his daughters Rhonda Morton (Jerry), Nancy Smith (Jerry); and son Dennis Shields; his two grandsons Jared and Jake Smith; two step grandsons Jeremy and Benjamin Morton; nephews and nieces Harvey, Max, Bob, Dan and Shirley Shields,  Janice Sprecker, Marla Watson, Sharon Leas, Lloyd Shields, Ronald and Raymond Roberts; numerous great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Pearl Shields. He was the youngest of eight children who all preceded him in death: Lottie, Gale, Glendora, Ruth, Oneita, Charles and Donald Shields.  

The Shields family would like to thank Karcher Estates caregivers for all their love and care for Sam and Cecilia. We would also like to express our gratitude to Signature Hospice for their special care for Sam.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the American Heart Association, American Foundation for the Blind or charity of your choice.

Viewing and Visitation will be held at Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen on Monday February 17, 2020 between 5 PM and 7 PM.  A graveside service will be held at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Caldwell on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at 1 PM. An online guest book is available at www.nampafuneralhome.com 

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