Samuel H. Pacifico

Samuel H. Pacifico, a retired educator, has passed away at Hospice House, Pleasant Prairie, WI on September 11, 2017 after a three-week illness.

Born in Reading, PA, on July 19, 1934, Sam attended schools in the Reading area, graduating from Reading High School Class of 1952.

While selling shoes in a department store to work his way through college, Sam met his wife Pat.  After two weeks of dating, Sam proposed with a plastic Buster Brown Shoe ring.  They married six months later on May 27, 1960, in Reading, PA.  They have two children, Patrick, of Kenosha, and Samantha, of Mesa, AZ, and three grandchildren – Sebastian, of Milwaukee, and Simon and Gisela, of Mesa.

Sam’s desire to attain a college degree led him to join the Army and avail himself of the GI Bill.  During his time in the Army, he became one of the first member’s of the Army’s elite Green Beret. After two years in the service, Sam began his educational journey, obtaining his B.S. from Kutztown College, M.S. from Colgate University, Principal’s Certificate from Lehigh University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  In between degrees, he took classes at Penn State, University of Pennsylvania and a summer science grant at Iowa State University in Ames.  In 1966 he became a Fulbright Exchange Teacher to England.  He and Pat lived in Manchester and traveled extensively during their year there.  They were also blessed with their first child, Patrick, three weeks before their return to the U.S.!  One of Sam’s proudest achievements was obtaining all of his education through awards and grants.

After receiving his Ph.D., Sam served as principal in Pewaukee, WI, then came to Kenosha, where he worked at Lincoln J.H.S. before becoming principal at Reuther High School, a position he greatly enjoyed.  Sam respected the students, and they respected him.

Upon retiring while Pat still worked, Sam took a “temporary” job at St. Joe’s High School teaching physics and science – a position he held for seven years until his real retirement!  He always loved teaching, which was his true calling, and enjoyed his years at St. Joe’s.

When Sam finally retired, he and Pat enjoyed traveling the world, sometimes with their great friends, Reg and Christy Barden.  One highlight was a first-class trip to Australia, a gift from their son, Patrick, where they visited both coasts and longtime friends in Perth.   Amazingly, on their last trip to Italy, Sam discovered direct relatives of his grandfather in Casalbore, where he, Pat and their friends were treated as family!  They enjoyed further travel to Canada, England, Italy, France, Scotland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Portugal, the Azores, and Spain.  Memorable for Sam was going hand-gliding off a 2,000 ft cliff in Rio, and taking his grandson Sebastian to Chile for his 15^th birthday.  He and Pat also enjoyed transatlantic cruising with their friends and have many happy memories of their travels.  He also spent his 80^th birthday sky-diving!

In his free time Sam was an avid reader of non-fiction, up to 2-3 books each week.  He enjoyed   visiting family in Reading, working on his VW’s and vintage Triumph sports cars, dogs, and air and car shows in general.  In recent years, the view of Superstition Mountain just outside his patio door in Gold Canyon, AZ, gave him great enjoyment.  He loved passing on the Mountain’s “legend” to all.  But by far Sam’s greatest pleasure in life was spending time with his grandchildren.

Sam was predeceased by his parents and brother, James Pacific.  Surviving, besides immediate family, are two sisters, Lillian (Frank) McTamney and Dolores Lavigna, both of Reading, sister-in-law Elvina Pacific of Wyomissing, his nephews, Joe Albright of Fleetwood, Bradley Albright of Philadelphia,  neice Michele (Michael) Fischetti and Jon (Madeline) Pacific of Jersey City, cousins Patricia Pacifico and Judith (Kerry) Klinger, both of Wyomissing and other nieces and nephews.