Samuel Winton Eskew

Sam Eskew of Skidaway Island, Savannah, Georgia passed away Wednesday, April 12 at Candler Hospital after a sudden, brief illness. He leaves a tremendous void in the lives of his wife of 37 years, Kay, and their son, Austin, an Eagle Scout and former Marine Corporal, who was Sam's pride and joy; his siblings, Taylor (Jack), Martha (Chet), Ed (Pam), Dick (Cindy) and Fouad (Narjis), his future daughter-in-law, Imelda Golden, sister-in-law, Susan Brinkley, several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Sam dearly loved his Skidaway Community Church family, his Rotary family, Scouting family, and his Remote Technology family. He had friends from every walk of life. He and Kay were deeply involved in the Georgia Rotary Student Program and are the American parents to three amazing young men: Axel Cronert of Sweden, Nipuna Ambanpola of Sri Lanka, and Brendan Mungwena of Zimbabwe.

We take comfort in knowing that Sam never wasted a moment in his 69 years. He walked with lions in Zimbabwe, dived in a cage among great white sharks off South Africa, stared down a bull elephant on the Okavango River in Botswana, and shared many tales of his hitch-hiking adventures across Central and South America. He traveled to every state but one, and he and Kay were beginning to make plans to travel to Alaska. He spent many peaceful hours cruising the waters of coastal Georgia, and loved nothing more than spending a day with friends on Wassau Island playing "free range" bocce ball.

Sam was born February 21, 1954 in Columbus, Georgia to the late Robert and Iris Eskew. A few years later, the family moved to the Garden Hills and later Buckhead communities of Atlanta. He graduated from North Fulton High School and Georgia State University, and was a lifelong Georgia Tech fan, Braves fan, and Falcons fan. Sam and his brothers and friends had numerous adventures growing up, and once played trench warfare in the backyard of an unsuspecting neighbor. Yes, they dug a trench.

Sam served twice as President of Savannah South Rotary Club and was currently serving as Assistant District Governor. He was a five time Paul Harris Fellow and a Will Watt Fellow. He and Kay were members of the Rotary Foundation. He served Troop 57, Coastal Empire Council of the Boy Scouts as an assistant leader for nearly 22 years, and was a member of the Order of the Arrow and recipient of the Silver Beaver award. He and the troop smoked and sold their "World Famous, Delicious, Troop 57 Boston Butts" every year, which involved staying up all night through all types of weather, loving every minute of it. For thirteen years he served on the board of Presbyterian Homes of Georgia, a cause near and dear to his heart. At Skidaway Community Church, he served as an Elder, on the Discipleship Committee, and participated in the Saturday morning men's Bible study class. He enjoyed the many friends he made as a member of the Savannah Executives Association.

Sam was president and CEO of Remote Technology, a company he built and took enormous pride in. He loved his employees like family and the relationships he built with his customers, here in Savannah, and across the country.

Visitation will be at Gamble Funeral Service on Stephenson Avenue, Savannah on Friday, May 5 from 5:00 till 7:00 p.m. A celebration of Sam's life will be held on Saturday, May 6 at 2:00 p.m. at Skidaway Community Church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the following: Skidaway Community Church, 50 Diamond Causeway, Savannah 31411; Presbyterian Homes of Georgia, P.O. Box 926, Quitman, Georgia 31643; Coastal Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America, 1190 Abercorn Expressway, Savannah, Georgia 31419; Georgia Rotary Student Program, 15 E. Montgomery Crossroad, Suite 101, Savannah, Georgia 31406, or Operation Patriots FOB, 198 Okatie Village Drive, Okatie, SC 29909.

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me." Rest in peace, dear Sam.