Horace L. Samford was a former Plain Dealer reporter who helped establish a Cleveland office of the Central Intelligence Agency in the late 1940s. Mr. Samford covered general topics from 1937 to 1942 for the PD before taking a leave to serve in the Army as a fighter-controller during World War II. He received a Purple Heart for injuries during the Iwo Jima invasion in 1945. After the war, he left journalism to help start the CIA office. He remained a federal official for several years, working in the personnel office and for the Department of Commerce. Mr. Samford died Saturday at St. John's West Shore Hospital, apparently of heart failure. He was 83. Born in Opelika, Ala., Mr. Samford came to Cleveland in 1937 to join The PD after attending Oglethorpe College in Atlanta. Mr. Samford covered the federal court beat as a reporter for the Cleveland News from 1950 to 1956 and worked at the original Sun Press newspaper in Shaker Heights from 1958 to 1965. He worked at various times for The Atlanta Constitution and the Nashville Tennessean. And in the 10 years of his career, he worked in public relations at the University Hospitals, and was editor of the Archway, an in-house hospital magazine. "He tried a lot of other things, but newspapers were his first love," said Mr. Samford's son, Tom C. Mr. Samford had lived in a Westlake nursing home for the last four years, but was a longtime resident of Cleveland Heights. In addition to Tom C. of Rocky River, Mr. Samford's survivors include another son, Crawford A., also of Rocky River.
A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at McGorray Bros. funeral home, 14133 Detroit Ave., Lakewood.
A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at McGorray Bros. funeral home, 14133 Detroit Ave., Lakewood.
Horace L. Samford was a former Plain Dealer reporter who helped establish a Cleveland office of the Central Intelligence Agency in the late 1940s. Mr. Samford covered general topics from 1937 to 1942 for the PD before taking a leave to serve in the Army as a fighter-controller during World War II. He received a Purple Heart for injuries during the Iwo Jima invasion in 1945. After the war, he left journalism to help start the CIA office. He remained a federal official for several years, working in the personnel office and for the Department of Commerce. Mr. Samford died Saturday at St. John's West Shore Hospital, apparently of heart failure. He was 83. Born in Opelika, Ala., Mr. Samford came to Cleveland in 1937 to join The PD after attending Oglethorpe College in Atlanta. Mr. Samford covered the federal court beat as a reporter for the Cleveland News from 1950 to 1956 and worked at the original Sun Press newspaper in Shaker Heights from 1958 to 1965. He worked at various times for The Atlanta Constitution and the Nashville Tennessean. And in the 10 years of his career, he worked in public relations at the University Hospitals, and was editor of the Archway, an in-house hospital magazine. "He tried a lot of other things, but newspapers were his first love," said Mr. Samford's son, Tom C. Mr. Samford had lived in a Westlake nursing home for the last four years, but was a longtime resident of Cleveland Heights. In addition to Tom C. of Rocky River, Mr. Samford's survivors include another son, Crawford A., also of Rocky River.
A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at McGorray Bros. funeral home, 14133 Detroit Ave., Lakewood.
A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at McGorray Bros. funeral home, 14133 Detroit Ave., Lakewood.
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