September 19, 1939 – June 22, 2023
Samuel (Sam) Henry Halter concluded an exemplary life of family devotion, public service and spiritual faith on June 22, 2023. Sam passed peacefully at the age of 83 in Tampa while holding the hand of his beloved son and namesake, Samuel Henry (Hank) Halter, Jr.
Sam was born on September 19, 1939, in Hamilton, Ohio to Samuel Lesher Halter and Helen Louise Halter (née Olds). He had three younger siblings (Jon, Susan and Charles) and spent the majority of his formative years in Oxford, Ohio. His father accepted work in Watertown, New York upon returning from service in World War II, and Sam graduated from high school there. Sam earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Miami University of Ohio in 1961 and a Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse University in 1962 where he attended on full scholarship. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity chapter at Miami University.
Upon moving to Philadelphia to accept his first job in city management, Sam met his future wife, best friend and life partner, Claire Elizabeth DeBaecke. He had the good fortune to rent an apartment across the street from her family’s home. Sam and Claire wed in 1963 and gave birth to Hank in 1965. They celebrated 51 years of marriage before her death in 2015 after lifelong complications with Type 1 diabetes. Throughout their life together, they remained committed to each other, Hank, the Catholic Church, their local community and dachshunds (five over the years).
Sam found professional fulfillment in public administration as it afforded him the opportunity to serve others and enhance people’s quality of life. His career spanned 41 years; included positions of increasing responsibility; and allowed him to develop and foster friendships across the country. He worked in Philadelphia; Savannah, Georgia; Miami Springs, Florida; Melbourne, Florida; and Tampa. He served as City Manager in Melbourne for 15 years and as Chief Administrative Officer in Tampa for eight years before retiring in 2003.
Sam’s personal interests were many and varied. He was an athlete in his youth and enjoyed baseball, basketball and football. He followed professional and college teams, and his favorites included the Cincinnati Reds, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami University RedHawks. He also shared an affinity for the Villanova Wildcats with Hank who is an alumnus of Villanova University. Sam also built model airplanes and HO railroads and never tired of watching re-runs of The Andy Griffith Show.
Sam will be missed and remembered for his integrity, loyalty and kindness. He is survived by Hank and extended family on his and Claire’s sides. The family appreciates Lorraine Johnson and Delores Griffin for their gracious caregiving and support of Sam in recent years. He will be laid to rest with Claire during a private service at Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Tampa, Florida. For those who wish to honor Sam in a material way, the family suggests donations to the American Diabetes Association or the ASPCA.
