Samuel Joseph Aluise

Samuel Joseph Aluise, age 100, resident of Focused Care at Pasadena, passed away on August 11, 2020 at HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast. He was born in Richwood, WV on January 30, 1920 and is one of 10 children to Italian immigrant parents, the late Agazio and Teresa Aluise. Samuel is preceded in death by his wife, Doris Gay Aluise; his brothers Tony, Bruno, Jimmy, Frank, Albert, Wilbert and Joseph; and his sister Melina. Samuel is survived by his daughters, Victoria Bresie and Susan Kasianowitz, both of Houston, TX; his grandchildren Stacy Tosh and Lisa Kasianowitz, Houston, TX and Brook Kasianowitz, San Francisco, California; his sister, Mary Malloy of Boise, Idaho and many nieces and nephews.

Samuel graduated from St. Joseph High School, class of 1938, in Huntington, WV.

After graduation, he served in the US Navy, during WW II, from 1941-1945. He received formal training which earned him the rank of Ship’s Cook-First Class. In 1945, he wrote a letter about his experiences on the USS Ozark and a copy is in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

Samuel married Doris Smith in 1951 and they had two daughters, Vicki and Susan.

Their marriage lasted 68 years before the passing of his devoted wife in August 2019. In the early years, Sam used the cooking skills he learned in the Navy to establish and open a restaurant in Huntington, WV, in which his wife worked right alongside him. Cooking was his life-long passion and sustained him and his family for many years! Another career for Sam was in the retail shoe business and he managed shoe stores in Parkersburg and Clarksburg, WV. Other jobs throughout his life included baker, carpenter, furniture refinisher, food canning, salesman, golf course ranger, volunteer worker at his church and for Meals on Wheels. As a life-long Catholic and member of the Knights of Columbus, he lived his faith through prayer, devotion and service. His interests and hobbies included cooking and serving homemade meals for his family, attending family celebrations, solving crossword puzzles, playing board games, golfing, growing vegetables in his garden, spending time with his dog Punkin and dancing/listening to music.

Special memories include a once-in-a-lifetime trip in 1989 with Doris to Italy, his parent’s birthplace, to visit his brother Tony and other Aluise relatives; attending his granddaughter Stacy’s wedding at 96 yrs. old and dancing the night away at the reception like a teenager; was presented with the American flag on Veteran’s Day for being the oldest vet at his nursing home; and most recently, celebrating his milestone 100th birthday with family and friends, special proclamations from the TX governor, US Senators and other elected officials, and “100” birthday balloons!

Samuel’s last six years were spent living with his wife in Pasadena, TX, to be close to their daughters and grandchildren. The family would like to thank Focused Care at Pasadena for the emotional support and personal care that Sam received from their nursing staff and other dedicated members, especially Charlotte, Grace and Michelle. Samuel will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandpa, war veteran, great cook, hard worker and a faith-filled man.