Dr. Walter Samuel Bounds, 73, of Brookhaven MS, departed this life on June 16,
2022, at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson with his wife by his side following
complications from surgery. Sam began his journey on a four-mule farm in rural
Smith County, on August 23, 1948. At a very early age, he learned the lasting
value of hard work. Sam embraced his humble beginnings and the lessons he
learned on the farm, the football field, and at Wilkinson Memorial Baptist Church,
where he was baptized. These experiences shaped Sam's life and laid a firm
foundation for his future endeavors. At age 13, Sam lost his father, Shelby, and he
began working after school and through the summers to help support his beloved
mother, Georgia. Sam was a standout on the Raleigh High School football team
and after graduating from high school in 1966, he attended Jones County Junior
College where he dominated as a fierce defensive tackle, earning the distinction
of Junior College All American in 1967.

A huge turning point in Sam's life was transferring to the University of North
Carolina as an offensive tackle, where he honed his leadership skills as a Tar Heel
Team Captain. All who knew Sam understand his deeply rooted love for Chapel
Hill. Sam and Lisa chose the iconic Old Well on the UNC campus as the setting for
their wedding, returning many times for sporting events. Most recently they
attended the Final Four, where according to Sam, UNC came away with the title
because they beat Duke. A lifetime member of the University of North Carolina
Alumni Association, he was also inducted into the Jones County Junior College
Sports Hall of Fame, an accolade he cherished.

Sam first became Coach Bounds in 1970 as he graduated from UNC and accepted
a coaching position at Greensboro Grimsley, the third largest high school in the
state of North Carolina. Poised for a stellar life-long career in coaching, Coach
Bounds returned home to Raleigh in 1976 to help care for his family after his
brother was tragically killed. He accepted the position of Head Football Coach and
Athletic Director and led the Raleigh Lions to the first bowl game in school history.
He was a tough coach who loved his players, challenging them to "three- a -days"
and promising to "make a man out of them." He did; 10 former players from his
1976 – 78 Raleigh Lions teams will serve as his pall bearers. He was also very
proud that during his tenure, he established the Little League Baseball Program in
Raleigh.

After moving to Monticello, MS, to become Athletic Director and Head Football
Coach, he was named Coach of the Year, Southern Athletic Conference for 1979
and received the Jackson Touchdown Club Award. He transferred into
administration, named as Principal of Monticello High School prior to moving to
Kosciusko. There he served as Athletic Director and Head Football Coach and was
named Coach of the Year by the MMAC in 1981.

In 1986, Sam earned his Doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision
from Mississippi State University, graduating with honors. That same year, he
became Principal of Clinton High School and was elected as President of the
Mississippi Association of Secondary School Principals. Dr. Bounds served on the
Steering Committee for the National Association of Secondary School Principals,
the Delta Teachers Academy National Board, and was President of the Mississippi
Association of Secondary School Principals.

While Superintendent of the Brookhaven School District from 1994-2004, Dr.
Bounds served as President of the Mississippi Association of School
Superintendents, President of the Mississippi Council of Public Schools, and
served on the Board of Governors for the Public Education Forum. Dr. Bounds also
served as a board member for the Brookhaven Lincoln County Chamber of
Commerce and Junior Achievement of Brookhaven. Dr. Bounds was a member of
First Baptist Church and was very involved in the Brookhaven community in a
variety of capacities.

In 2004, Dr. Bounds was selected as the Executive Director for the Mississippi
Association of School Superintendents, and became as his family calls him, "The
Superintendent of Superintendents." As Executive Director of MASS, he had a
profound effect on promoting excellence in education across the state and was a
catalyst for educational progress. He was a founding member of the Coalition for
Children in Public Education and treasured time spent traveling the state with
Governor William Winter advocating for the children of Mississippi. The "Voice of
Education" for 13 years, Dr. Bounds retired from MASS in the summer of 2017,
after dedicating 45 years of his life to the field of education.

It is an understatement to say that Dr. Sam Bounds had a big ego, but if you were
lucky enough for him to bump into you, a piece of that self-confidence was
imparted to you. Even larger than his ego, was his presence. His stature, magnetic
personality and gregarious smile could captivate an entire room. From the
farmhouse to the field house, from the schoolhouse to advocating in the State
House, Sam Bounds understood how to communicate his message of an equitable
and quality education for all children. He learned, fighting it out on the football
field, that in order to win, the playing field must be level. He understood that
there will always be a Sam Bounds in every classroom, just waiting on an
opportunity to reach his full potential.

Dr. Bounds never veered from his motto, "If you do what's right for the children in
your district, your decisions may not always be popular, but you will always be
right." He held exemplary standards, only expecting excellence, and promising to
always "inspect what you expect." He was unafraid to confront an issue or a
person head-on and he worked diligently to find a solution that would best serve
the students, players, coaches, teachers, and administrators under his leadership.
Dr. Bounds' true gifts were transformational leadership and an uncanny ability to
recognize a budding potential in others, even when they did not see it in
themselves.

His legacy lives on in the countless lives he has shaped for the better by opening a
door for them. He took pride in his accomplishments, but he was always quick to
attribute any success in his life to his parents, to hard work, and ultimately to the
Good Lord above.

After retiring from MASS in the summer of 2017, he and Lisa completed a much anticipated driving trip to explore the last four states left on his quest to see all 50. He took on retirement just as he had taken on everything else in life, with a
great zest and a joy for living, traveling to beaches and mountains, deserts, state
capitals, enjoying concerts, festivals, and visiting little country stores. When Covid
changed their travel plans, he and Lisa journeyed through the Bible together daily,
beginning in Genesis and reading through Revelation. It was the adventure of a
lifetime. Sam's journey is not over. His legacy does not end. Quoting his own
words, "over the past four decades, as Executive Director of MASS,
Superintendent, Principal, Athletic Director, and Coach, I have been blessed to
share life lessons with many people and I am humbled by the opportunities to
have touched their lives in some way." His legacy lives on in those who accept
the challenge and pick up the torch.

Visitation for Dr. Bounds is from five o'clock in the evening through seven o'clock
at Brookhaven Funeral Home on Monday, June 20, 2022. Reverend Greg Warnock
will officiate the funeral service to be held at the First Baptist Church of
Brookhaven on Tuesday afternoon, June 21, 2022, at one o'clock. Later in the day,
burial will be in his hometown of Raleigh at five o'clock in the evening at the
North Raleigh Cemetery. Brookhaven Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Sam is preceded in death by his parents, Shelby and Georgia Bounds, his brother,
James Albert Bounds, his sister-in-law, Marilyn Bounds, his niece, Dee Ann
Bounds, all of Raleigh, MS, and his brother-in-law, Jack Colb of Dallas, TX. He is
survived by his wife and soul-mate, Lisa; his much loved sister, Shelby Colb of
Laurel, MS; children, Sarah Merriman of Houston, TX, Patrick Merriman of San
Francisco, CA, and John Lake Merriman of Grenada, MS; his sister-in-law Julie
Farrell and her husband, Jake, of Germantown, TN, and his niece, Caroline Farrell
of Austin, TX; and many beloved students, athletes, friends and fellow educators
throughout the state of Mississippi.

Donations to honor his life may be made to the "Dr. Sam Bounds Memorial
Scholarship," in his memory. Please make gifts out to the Brookhaven School
District, 326 East Court Street, Brookhaven, MS, 39601, to be placed in a
designated collegiate scholarship fund for graduating seniors at Brookhaven High
School.