Sam Warren, 78, US Army, USANG, LEO, PGR veteran, Hutto/Pflugerville, TX, 28 Sep 2024

[markwells]

Confirmed Mission: The family of Sam Goss Warren has invited the Patriot Guard Riders to participate in his funeral and interment services.  Sam passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 22nd, in Cedar Park, Texas, while surrounded by family.

Sam started with the Austin Police Department as a Police Aide in the early 60s, then worked in dispatch for a while before attending the academy and becoming an officer shortly after his 21st birthday in 1966.  During his career he worked in patrol, motors, robbery/homicide, forgery, was the first Chief of Hospital Police at Brackenridge Hospital and retired in 1995 as a Senior Sergeant of the storied APD Motors Unit.

Sam had a 30-plus year military career, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 4.  He flew several different helicopters during his decades of service in the Army and National Guard and ended his career as a pilot on active duty with the Texas Reconnaissance and Interdiction Detachment.

Sam was an early member of the Patriot Guard Riders.  As a ride captain and assistant deputy state captain he set the example we follow today in honoring our veterans and first responders in the Austin area.   He made a friend of every first-timer, making them feel welcome and at ease.  He “retired” in 2018, but we continued to enjoy his company at occasional missions until his health interfered.

More about his life can be read here when published.

Date/Time: Saturday, 28 September 2024.  Funeral mass to begin at noon.

Location: St Patrick Catholic Church, 2500 Limmer Loop, Hutto, TX 78634.  Map link

Timeline:
10:30 – 11:10 am – Staging
11:10 am – Briefing
11:20 am – Flag line

Wx: Hi 91 deg, sunny

Notes:  Following the start of the funeral service we will strike the flag line and stand by to join the law enforcement escorted procession to Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville where we will form a second flag line for the interment service.

Ride Captain: Mark Wells, atxpgr@gmail.com, 512-470-0380.  Assistant RC: Patti Hutto
Flag Wranglers: Gary Mayers & Lance Owen (church).  Soup & Nicki Campbell and Gary Mayers (cemetery)

Please attend to honor the long, faithful service of this solider, pilot, police officer, friend, and patriot.

[markwells]

We had 33 patriots gathered today to usher Sam Warren from this world. As we walked in a line from the parking lot to form the flag line at the church, I turned around to enjoy the site of all those US flags and those who carried them. Sam would have liked it, too.

We formed up again after the funeral mass as the Austin Police Department conducted honors outside the church, with live taps, bagpipes, and folding and presentation of the Texas flag to Sam’s family.

The procession from the church to the cemetery was well escorted by LEO. However, one of the family cars had a flat, which caused us to stop for a short while on the SH 130 service drive. Later, one of the family members commented, “Sounds like Sam having some fun…a final laugh for the stoppage of the funeral procession”.

The Army provided military honors at the cemetery with taps, a rifle salute, and folding and presentation of the US flag.

Thank you to all who attended today, in particular PGR Texas State Captain Mylissa “L.F.” Pannell-Munguia who rode up from the San Antonio area. Thank you also to Patti for her help, and Lance, Gary, Soup, and Nicki for flags and water.

Every veteran funeral mission is a sad affair, but when we bury one of our own, it hurts. RIP Sam Warren, we miss you already.

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