Samuel C. "Sam" Reep
January 4, 1938 - January 5, 2025
Samuel C. "Sam" Reep, aged 87, passed away on January 5, 2025, at Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation in Boone, N.C. He was born on January 4, 1938, in Morganton, N.C., to Dallas W. Reep and Ruth Branch Reep. He was a wonderful husband, father, Granddaddy, and Grandpa-daddy to his loving family.
Sam graduated from Â鶹´«Ã½ High School in 1956, where he was on the track and football teams, and played quarterback his senior year. After high school, Sam attended Lees-McRae College, North Carolina State University, and Appalachian State University. At Appalachian he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in education. While at Lees-McRae he met the love of his life, Marilyn Bolick Reep. Though Sam never attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he became a fan when his children were students there and remained a superfan for the rest of his life.
At the beginning of his career, Sam taught mathematics at Lexington Senior High School, Mitchell College (Statesville), and Fred T. Foard High School (Hickory), where he also coached the track team. In 1966, Sam was awarded a National Science Foundation fellowship to attend graduate school in mathematics at Florida State University. His young family packed their bags and moved to Tallahassee, a year they all remember fondly. Sam was always quick to tell folks that he didn't much like math, but he was good at it.
After his time at Florida State, Sam joined the math department at Richmond Technical Institute (now Community College), in Rockingham, N.C. Sam and Marilyn raised their children in Rockingham where Sam was very active in the local community. During those years, he coached Pee Wee football, was in various PTAs, was president of the high school band boosters, and served as president of Richmond Pines Country Club. Sam was an avid golfer who once made a Double Eagle on the country club course. He would tell anyone who would listen that it is much more difficult to make a Double Eagle than a Hole in One, because the Double Eagle requires two amazing shots in a row rather than just one lucky shot. Sam was known around town as The Smartest Man in Richmond County because of his math abilities. He wasn't crazy about his unofficial title, but his children loved it and teased him endlessly. No one knows how many bags of Indian River oranges were sold during the years he was band booster president, but it was enough to ensure that the band could perform in places like the Kentucky Derby parade and win an absolutely ridiculous number of marching band competitions across the state. Sam and his family were also active in the First Presbyterian Church in Rockingham.
In 1984, Sam became head of the math department at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. In addition to his work at Central Piedmont, Sam also provided his expertise in statistical process analysis to companies such as Duke Power and Lay's corporation. Sam also authored a college math textbook. Again, not because he liked math, he was just good at it. While in Charlotte, Sam and Marilyn began a lifelong love of shag dancing and were members of the Charlotte Shag Club and the Ocean Drive Shag Club.
In 2003, Sam retired, and he and Marilyn moved to her hometown of Blowing Rock, N.C., where he resided until his death. Sam and Marilyn joined the Boone Shag Club and made many great memories over the years at SOS, Duck's, and Fat Harold's with their close group of friends. He also spent many enjoyable afternoons at Kenan Stadium, the Smith Center, and Boshamer Stadium watching his beloved Tar Heels play.
Sam is survived by his wife, Marilyn Bolick Reep, of the home; and his two children, Lynn Reep Fell (James) of Pittsboro and Sam, Jr. of Blowing Rock; his two grandchildren, Katie Fell (Greg Frederick) of Westford, Mass. and Jim Fell (Alisha) of Riverview, Fla.; and his four great-grandchildren, Emma and Jake Frederick and Graham and Luca Fell. He is also survived by numerous nephews and their families. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Dallas Reep and Ruth Branch Reep; and his brother, Dallas S. "Bucky" Reep (Nebo).
Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 1 p.m. at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock, followed by a reception at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.
The family would like to thank the skilled nursing staff at Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation and Amorem Hospice who assisted in Sam's care during his extended illness.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at .
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.
Reep, Samuel
