Sam Joseph Collett Jr.'s Obituary
Sam Joseph Collett, Jr., passed from this life on February 27, 2023, in Covington, Louisiana. Sam is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Tonda Spillman Collett, his son, Sam J. Collett, III (fiancé, Taylor), and his sister Frances Collett Williams (Rick). He is preceded in death by his father, Sam J. Collett, Sr., his mother, Laura Mannino Collett, and his brother, Anthony “Tony” Samuel Collett.
Sam J. Collett, Jr. was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana, on July 10, 1956. He attended Bogalusa High School, where he excelled in athletics and developed a love for music. Following high school, Sam attended Southeastern Louisiana University, and then attended and graduated from Louisiana State University Law Center, which began his lifelong career as an attorney and counselor at law. Subsequent to passing the Louisiana bar exam, he briefly practiced with the Bogalusa, Louisiana public defender’s office, served periodic appointments with the Washington Parish district attorney’s office, and ultimately, partnered with friend Herb Alexander to open the law firm Alexander & Collett. Thereafter, he and lifelong friend Dawn Amacker opened Collett & Amacker in Bogalusa, Louisiana, providing Washington Parish with diligent, skilled legal representation for 23 years. In 2009, Sam began practicing with Jones Fussell, LLP, in Covington, from which he ultimately retired in 2020. He devoted his life to the legal profession and passionate representation of his clients. Sam was a lawyer’s lawyer, known for leaving no stone unturned in searching for the best possible resolution for his clients’ issues, and his reputation amongst the legal community as an ethical, skilled practitioner is second to none.
While Sam’s professional work and career were a priority in his life, he prioritized his family above all else. He married the love of his life, Tonda Lea Spillman, in 1981. Following his marriage to Tonda, the two welcomed their first and only child, Sam, III, to the world on June 9, 1990. Sam and Tonda spent the formative years of their son’s life traveling, sailing, and imparting upon him their love for music, the outdoors, hunting, and fishing. At some point, Sam Jr.’s passion for fishing developed into an unequivocal obsession with fly-fishing. He spent the latter years of his life traveling with his family, realizing several fly-fishing feats that most anglers go a lifetime without even coming close to accomplishing. Sam was happiest on the bow of a skiff in the Louisiana marsh, wandering a creek in the mountains chasing trout, or wading a bonefish flat at sunset in the Bahamas trying to coax a tailing fish into eating a fly that he tied.
Sam lived his live in a manner that should be emulated by all. He was one of the most generous, giving, and selfless people that one could encounter and touched innumerable lives with his kind spirit. If you met him once, you got a hug the next time you saw him. He was a devoted lover of animals and found quite the friend later in life via his dog, Milly. In Sam’s life lies an oft-understated lesson: never waste an opportunity to be kind to someone, especially when no one is looking. In a fast-paced world where people are hyper focused on their own lives, Sam’s actions serve as a reminder that one small act of kindness can go a long way in affecting another human being. Sam’s legacy of unmatched kindness will live on through his family.
A private, graveside memorial was held at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home & Pinecrest Memorial Gardens on March 7, 2023. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Sam, Jr.’s honor to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research.
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