Sam Patrick DeGrande

“The Bull”          ”Six Mile Sam”           ”Pickle Man"

Sam always said after he was gone, he just wanted people to say of him that he made a good pickle!

  Sam spent his life cooking. He always wanted to feed people. He was a season ticket holder for the Lions (before they were good) and he used to head out at the crack of dawn to get set up and start cooking.  He was happiest when he was on the barbeque.

  Sam enjoyed socializing immensely.  He made his best friends sitting on a bar stool.  And yes, I was his bartender.  We had a bit of a rocky start, but eventually got it right.  We have spent the last 35 years together and he was truly the love of my life.  We never had children.  Instead we became parents to Rottweilers.  Chopper, Caesar, Apollo, Athena, Thor, Rocky and currently Gus and JoJo.

  Sam loved the outdoors.  His favorite sport was fishing.  He used to launch in Frankfort with his big brother Dino and buddy RD.  We bought the lake property in 1996 and Sam swore he was in heaven.  He retired from Ford Motor in 2007 at the age of 48 becoming a full-time East Jordan residence.   He loved riding his motorcycle on the back roads, the wind in his face. He had a really fast snowmobile.  Got into a fluke accident and became a paraplegic in 2013. It took a couple of years but he eventually got himself an Action Track (tank) wheelchair and went back into the woods.  No moss on him.

Sam passed away peacefully at home on September 2nd, 2024.  Just how he wanted it.

  He lived the best life and it was a hell of a ride!

  A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at 12:00 Noon at St. Joseph Catholic Church in East Jordan.

  A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, September 6, 2024, from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Penzien Funeral Homes, Inc., East Jordan.

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