SPRINGFIELD -Sammy (Sam) Andres Winn was born to Samuel E. Winn and Wanda E. (Andres) Winn in Jefferson City, Mo on May 1 ^st 1943.  Sam passed away on March 26, 2022.

When Sam was in the sixth grade he knew that he wanted to become an Architect.  The family lived briefly in California which was the source for many childhood stories. Sam was raised a Christian in the Baptist Church where he sang in the church choir.  He also played steel guitar in a band with several friends.  He developed a very strong work ethic in his youth from his father who was a disabled veteran from the US Army.  During his high school years in Jefferson City he worked summers at a gas station and for the Missouri Highway Department. He said that spending the hot summers working on highways and at the family home at Lake of the Ozarks prepared him for the end of the summer football camps and practices both in high school and in college.

Sam enjoyed playing football in junior high and at Jefferson City High School.  In high school he was coached by legendary Missouri Sports Hall of Fame coach Pete Adkins amassing a 19-0 record during his junior and senior years.  He earned a football scholarship to Southwest Missouri State College now Missouri State University and started on the team all 4 years. His team was undefeated his sophomore year (1963) and they went on that year to appear in one of only 4 bowl game appearances in the Bear's football history.

Upon graduation in 1965 Sam joined the US Army Corp of Engineers as an officer where he went to Engineer School at Fort Belvoir Virginia. He served his country while stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War until he was honorably discharged in 1971 having attained the rank of Captain.

Upon completion of his service in the Army Sam would return to Springfield where he was employed by Joe Amspacher & Associates first as an intern and later a registered architect. The firm transitioned to Winn, Wright & Scott after partners Harold Wright, Richard Scott and Sam Winn purchased the firm.  Ultimately, the firm would become Sam A. Winn & Associates Architects for the next 42 years of his 52 year career in architecture.  Clients included Bass Pro Shops (including the original Outdoor World Showroom), Bristol Manufacturing, Central Bank of the Ozarks, Citizens Memorial Hospital, Community First Bank of West Plains, CoxHealth, Croley Insurance, Ferrell-Duncan Clinic (for 38 years), Friendly Ford, KFC Restaurants, Magers Enterprises, Monett Hospital, Springfield Engineering Co., Sprint Communications, Texas County Hospital, Wil Fisher Distributing Co., Youngblood Chrysler-BMW, and many other clients for which he was grateful to have been their architect. Sam was proud to have his firm commissioned for over one thousand projects including nine hundred public school projects. The firm completed one of the very first FEMA tornado shelters in Missouri.  A branch office opened in Clayton MO to serve numerous clients along the I-44 corridor extending from Waynesville to the surrounding St. Louis area.

Sam was a humble man who never sought the limelight or notoriety but instead focused on the joy of architecture and strived for a successful project completion.  He truly enjoyed working with Owners, Engineers, Contractors, Sub-Contractors and even the guys swinging tools at the jobsite all of whom he held in the highest regard.  Sam occasionally accepted the opportunity to design some unique residences for friends including some notable homes at Table Rock Lake, Highland Springs CC, Palmetto Bluff South Carolina and in Springfield.

He revered the employees in his office and he trained numerous interns and architects both male and female over the span of his career.  He understood early on that female architects had much to offer to the architectural field. Many memories were made with employees outside of the office that included annual Christmas dinners at Riverside Inn, summer cookouts at Table Rock Lake and bus trips to St. Louis Cardinals games.

Sam loved to travel, dance, water-ski, snow-ski, golf, play tennis, watch football games, attend music concerts & NASCAR races and most of all a walk on the beach.  He was a long time member of the American Institute of Architects (past president of the Springfield Chapter 1980 & 1981), AIA Missouri, Missouri Association of School Administrators, Missouri School Board Association, Kingsway United Methodist Church, Hickory Hills Country Club and Solomon Lodge  #271.

Sam is survived by his wife of 43 years Susan E. (Siman) Winn; his stepson Chad Estes and Rebecca C. Barnes; daughter Laura Ann Sweeton, husband Greg and their children Anna and Isiah.

A memorial service will be held at King's Way United Methodist Church on Friday, April 1 ^st at 2 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to King's Way United Methodist Church, or the Ozarks Food Harvest.