Yetta Samford, to be Guest Speaker for Opelika's Memorial Day Services
May 28, 2010
The city of Opelika is pleased to announce that this year’s guest speaker for the annual Memorial Day Services will be the distinguished Yetta Samford, who will speak on his recent “Honor Flight” trip to Washington, D.C. for WWII Veterans. The Memorial Day Services will be held at the Veterans Memorial Monument, located at City Hall (204 South 7th Street), beginning at 10 a.m. If it rains the services will be held inside of City Hall in the City Council Chambers.
Short Biography on Mr. Yetta Samford
Service to his Country: Yetta Samford was a member of the R.O.T.C. in college, and was sworn into the Army in 1942. He later volunteered for the Tank Destroyer Corps, and on being called to active duty, reported to North camp Hood, Texas in 1943. He received his wings in the Army Air Corps – along with his commission – in September 1944. He served as one of America’s B-17 Bomber Pilots in the final years of the war. He flew additional missions dropping packages of food to starving Dutch in Holland.
Service to his Community: A 1949 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, Yetta returned to Opelika where he has practiced law in the family law firm of Samford and Denson ever since. He has been involved in a variety of civic and charitable organizations, and was elected to the Alabama State Senate in 1958. He has served as director of Alabama State Chamber of commerce, Farmers National Bank, West Point Manufacturing Company and Liberty national Life Insurance Company. He has also served as chairman of the State Board of Corrections. In 1972 he was asked to serve as a trustee of the University of Alabama. He has been involved in local education as well, serving on the Opelika Board of Education for 15 years. He has received numerous “distinguished citizen” awards.
Mr. Samford’s generosity is one of the main reasons Opelika residents are able to enjoy our newest “treasure” – the Sportsplex & Aquatics Center. He donated the land upon which that magnificent complex is situated.
Yetta and wife Mary remain very active members of the community, and of First Baptist Church of Opelika where he has taught Sunday School and served as a Deacon for years.
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