Calvin Samuel Rex

Calvin Samuel "Sam" Rex 87 years old, passed away Sunday, April 6, 2014. Preceded in death by his wife, Ruby, in 2003; sister, Mary Otto; and great-granddaughter, Ruby. Survived by one son, Keith Rex and wife Brenda of Butler Township; one sister, Dorothy Blue, of Arizona; one brother, William White and wife Mary Jane of Kettering; three grandsons: Jason, Vincent and Jeremy; three great-grandsons and many nieces and nephews. Sam was a lifelong resident of Dayton area. He grew up on Sunny Slope Dairy farm on Union Schoolhouse Road in Mad River Township, raised by his aunt, Anna Mae Barto Smith. He moved to the city as a teenager; he lived on Center Street across from Huffman School. Sam proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1947 during WWII. The day Sam turned 18, he was on the USS Shubrick (DD-639) off the coast of Normandy providing fire support during the D-Day invasion. During the war, the ship he was on survived a kamikaze attack off the coast of Okinawa in May 1945. In civilian life, he worked as a truck driver (Teamster Local 957) at several local trucking companies. He lived several years in Huber Heights and walked daily at Tom Cloud Park. He was an avid fan of Fox News especially Gretchen Carlson. Special thanks to the current and former staff at Hearth & Home Assisted Living facility, and Acclaim Hospice for their caring kindness to Sam. Private interment at Dayton National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to: Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. Arrangements entrusted to Morton & Whetstone Funeral Home, Vandalia.