Samuel Joseph Waken

Samuel Joseph Waken was born at St. Mary's Hospital in Enid, Oklahoma on September 5, 1937 to Samuel Paul and Cecilia Ann (Jabour) Waken; he passed on August 15, 2017 in Oklahoma City. Sam was preceded in death by two half-sisters and three half-brothers from his fathers' first marriage. After Samuel P. Wakens' wife passed away in 1925, he married Cecilia Ann Jabour, his second wife in 1927 and gave birth to two daughters, and two sons. Number nine of his children was Samuel J. Sam was preceded in death by his father in 1946, his mother in 1983, and his brother Thomas in 2013. He is survived by his two sisters, Barbara Carubelli (husband Raoul), and Jo Kathryn Haddad (husband Robert), three nieces, four nephews, four grand-nephews and three grand-nieces. He attended St. Joseph's Elementary School in Enid, OK and graduated from Central Catholic High (Bishop McGuinness) Oklahoma City in 1956. Sam graduated with a B.A. degree from Central State College in 1960 (now UCO) and received his Master's in 1961. While there his national fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon (Teke) asked him to serve as province supervisor for Oklahoma & Arkansas for a couple of years, to 1963. After a brief period in education, he moved to Los Angeles and joined The Travelers Insurance Companies in 1966. In 1969, Sam transferred to Seattle for six months and then as Asst. Mgr. in charge of Administration and Human Resources of the new Travelers' office in Great Falls, Montana. 1973 found Sam as the Manager of Administration and Human Resources in Buffalo for Western New York offices. Future moves were as Manager in Orange County, CA in the later 1979, back to Westchester County, New York (1982) and then in 1984-88 as manager in Walnut Creek, CA for San Francisco Bay Area offices including Honolulu, and finally as Manager in Dallas, TX in 1989. After 25 years with Travelers', Sam took early retirement and came back to Oklahoma City to join his brother and sister Barbara in Tom Waken's Associated Brokers Real Estate Company in 1991. During this period, Tom's real estate business was pointed primarily towards commercial sales and property management. After Tom's passing in September 2013, our sister Barbara Carubelli, then managing broker, and Sam decided they were all well past retirement and the business would close in 2015 marking the 60th year since Tom started the Company back in 1955. In 1996, he did volunteer work to teach classes for those adults preparing to join the Catholic Church at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. In 1998 when the parish Deacon retired our Pastor asked Sam to lead the program. In 2002, the new pastor combined responsibilities and also appointed him to coordinate Religious Education for Sunday classes for students who normally attended public schools. The program's growth and progress, Sam would always say, was due to the wonderful active support of the pastors and the many wonderful parish women and men volunteers who worked in all levels as instructors for classes and with hospitality roles. Sam was also a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus and later was Knight Commander of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. Towards the end of 2008, Sam stepped out of the volunteer role, due to health issues. The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Todd Kliewer, Dr. Stephen Barr, the caregivers Shasten, Ellen, Keith, Maxwell and Epworth Home Health & Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities 1232 N. Classen Blvd., OKC, OK 73106. Visitation will start at 9am on Sunday, August 20th until the Prayer Service which will be held at 4pm on Sunday at Smith & Kernke 23rd Street Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10am on Monday, August 21st at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Oklahoma City with Rev. William Novak officiating. Interment will follow at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery in Oklahoma City.