In memoriam

When I first saw Sam in the fall of ’79, he was running the clock for one of Messiah’s sporting events. If you attended a game, you would have likely spotted him sitting quietly behind the scorer’s table. He was so ever-present that he was labeled the #1 FAN at Messiah. He was also affectionately known as “Sam the Mailman,” a role as mail courier he began at Messiah in 1963. So, for many years, his was a familiar face on our campus.   At the time, I knew nothing of Sam’s historical connection to Messiah. Later I would learn that Sam grew up in Arcanum, Ohio, the youngest of four children – all of whom attended Messiah. Sam was a member of the Academy class of 1958. His father, Dr. Paul Lenhert, was an alum who became a medical doctor and served as a trustee from 1941-1973. The Lenhert maintenance building on campus was named for his uncle. Many of Sam’s relatives attended Messiah. He was active in the Grantham BIC. Sang in the choir. You get the picture! Sam well was well connected to the Brethren in Christ Church and Messiah. 

When I returned to Messiah as an employee in 1992, I reconnected with Sam. At first, we just had occasional conversations on campus. But as time evolved, I became more involved in Sam’s life. We traveled together on many Messiah-related trips and later on I would accompany him to the grocery store, take him to doctor appointments, and frequent Wendy’s. As he began to lose his independence, I gained a closer friend. 

As Messiah’s #1 FAN, a special moment for Sam occurred in 2010. As many know, Sam was also an avid Cincinnati Reds fan. So, what were the chances that a Messiah baseball player would end up playing for the Reds? Zero? You can imagine how excited Sam was when Messiah’s Chris Heisey was called up to play for the Reds. Later that year, Chris signed a baseball cap for him which, instead of displaying, he wore proudly and often. So much so, I have no idea where that hat ended up.

Another memorable moment occurred in 2014 when he was officially inducted into Messiah’s Hall of Honor as the #1 FAN. He is the only person to be inducted that is not an athlete or a coach at Messiah. It was a special evening to recognize his lifelong love of Messiah sports and his contributions to our sports programs. 

While living at Messiah Lifeways, it became more difficult for him to attend Messiah sporting events. Nonetheless, he stayed well-informed. Then, Messiah introduced live stream. What a wonderful tool for Sam to watch Messiah sports! However, trying to explain how to live stream the women’s basketball game on his iPhone when I wasn’t in his room was the most challenging thing I ever tried to do for Sam. But it was well worth the effort.

Two weeks before Sam passed away, I had the opportunity to drive him around campus to see the new Kim S. Phipps Admissions and Welcome Center and take in the campus views. Little did I know that this would be my last visit with Sam or his last time on campus. Sam passed away quickly and peacefully on January 3, 2022. He will be missed, but his impact and legacy will continue at Messiah. Sam’s estate established a significant endowed scholarship fund that will provide financial aid to Brethren in Christ students who wish to attend Messiah and will provide awards to help student athletes and others participate in Messiah-related mission trips. For me, it was a privilege to be part of his life.

— Robert Brown ’82, senior director of charitable services