CHICOPEE – Paul E. Samson, 97, of the Aldenville section of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. He passed into Eternal Life at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family, wonderful caregivers and comrades-at-arms. He was born at home on Grattan Street in Chicopee on March 15, 1923, a beloved son of the late Charles E. and Albertine (Desrochers) Samson. He was raised in Chicopee, graduated from Cathedral High School in 1941 and received a Degree in Pharmacy from the Hampden College of Pharmacy in Willimansett. He served his country during World War II in the United States Navy on the USS Repose and attained the rank of Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class. He received the American Area Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He was the manager and pharmacist for King’s Pharmacy in Springfield and Chicopee Falls and retired in 1988. Following his retirement, he was a pharmacist at Center Pharmacy in Granby and also at the Hampden County House of Corrections in Ludlow. He was a member of the Aldenville American Legion Post 337 and a Third Degree member of the Knights of Columbus Elder Council No. 69, both in Chicopee. He was one of the founding members and served on the Board of Directors of CHIEFF, the Chicopee Emergency Food and Fuel, now, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Chicopee and also served on the Board of Directors at the Holyoke Credit Union from 1959 to 2006. Active in his Catholic faith, he was a communicant of Sainte Rose de Lima Church in Chicopee where he was a member of the League of the Sacred Heart and was a member of the Apostolate of the Suffering at Mary Farm in Palmer. Above all, he was a loving man who enjoyed spending time with his family and his many friends. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Yvette G. (Perreault) Samson who was Called Home on January 27, 2017. They were married at Saint Anne Church in Chicopee on May 30, 1951 and were blessed with over 65 years of happiness together. He leaves his six loving children, Paul R. Samson and his wife, Diane, of Wilbraham, Charles E. Samson, Donald R. Samson, and Elise M. Murphy, all of Chicopee, Louise A. Nolan and her husband, James, of Richmond, NH and Raymond J. Samson and his wife, Maria, of Chicopee; his eight cherished grandchildren, Danielle Saffioti and her husband, Nicholas, Andrea Luttrell and her husband, Jeffrey, Megan Samson and her partner, Cory McKenna, Alex Samson, Marc Touchette and his wife, Rebecca, Daniel Touchette, Grace Nolan and Anton Samson; his six cherished great-grandchildren, Jacob and Henry Luttrell, Lily and Layla McKenna, and Robert and Benjamin Touchette; his dear sister-in-law, Rita Gregory of Agawam; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and extended members of the Samson and Perreault families. In addition to his parents and wife, he was predeceased by his loving daughter-in-law, Anastacia Handley Samson who was Called Home on May 18, 2010; his cherished grandson, Robert G. Touchette who was Called Home on April 10, 2004; his dear brother, George Samson; and his two dear sisters, Jeannette Paul and Therese LaRoche Abert. His Funeral will be held on Monday, July 20, 2020 beginning at the St. Pierre-Phaneuf Aldenville Chapels, (413-532-9806), 13 Dale Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (funeral home will open at 8:30 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at Sainte Rose de Lima Church, 600 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (please note that the funeral home and Church services are limited to 40% capacity, face masks must be worn and social distancing must be observed). His Burial with United States Navy Military Honors will follow the Mass at Sainte Rose Cemetery, 49 Olsen Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday, July 19, 2020 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The parking lot and main entrance are located in the rear of the funeral home at 20 Lafayette Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His family requests that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Apostolate of the Suffering, Mary Farm, 1915 Ware Street, Palmer, MA 01069 or to Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry, 170 Pendexter Avenue, Chicopee, MA 01013. For more details and to leave his family condolence messages www.stpierrephaneuf.com