Izetta Sams

Izetta (Sams) Christman, also known as “Bit,” was born in Dime Box, Texas to the parentage of Ollie Sr. and Ruby (Clemons) Christman on September 1, 1926.  She was the second oldest of nine children born to this union.  She and her four sisters were the “Flawless 5”… the five most beautiful girls in all of Dime Box, TX.  Izetta earned the nickname “Bit” because she was so little.

She attended Fairview High School in Dime Box, TX but graduated from Freeman High School in Caldwell, TX.  While she was in school, Izetta played basketball (point guard).  She also ran track.  In 1951, Izetta graduated from Coleman’s School of Beauty Culture in Dallas, TX where she was valedictorian of her class.  She also attended Southwestern Christian College (SwCC).

Her relationship with God was very important to her.  Once she was baptized, she started teaching the children’s classes.  Throughout her life she served the congregations she attended as a teacher, teaching ladies Bible classes and youth classes.    

Izetta met the love of her life, Roosevelt Sams, while she was attending Freeman High School.  He was a very talented athlete who aspired to join the Harlem Globetrotters.  However, after being drafted into the military during World War II, that dream was deferred. Roosevelt wrote her almost every week, sending her several gifts from overseas.  Once he was discharged, he attended Paul Quinn College in Waco, TX.  He told Izetta he wanted to marry her, but he wanted to go to college first.  However, he could not wait.  On August 17, 1948, after his third year in college, Roosevelt Sams married Izetta Christman. The two of them became a true “power couple”.  Added to this union were two lovely daughters, Donna and Gale. 

While working at Paul Quinn, Roosevelt was asked to become the Academic Dean at SwCC.  He accepted the position and they moved to Terrell, TX.  While in Terrell, Izetta worked as a cosmetologist.  She gave her first speech in 1955 at the Lectureship at SwCC.  She did so well that year after year, Izetta was asked to speak at multiple ladies programs, including the Minister’s Wives Conference.  Roosevelt eventually opened his own store on “The Hill” at Breezy Hill Park, and Izetta worked there.  However, that did not last long because she was recruited to be the first secretary at the former John F. Kennedy Elementary School (now known as Gilbert Willie, Sr. Elementary). 

In 1969, Roosevelt became the minister of the Coliseum Park Church of Christ in San Antonio, TX.  Izetta was his secretary.  Coliseum Park eventually bought Dellcrest Church of Christ.  Roosevelt may have been the minister, but Izetta was just as busy.  While at Dellcrest, she was instrumental in starting the Cradle Roll Class for ages six months to age two.  She convinced the leadership to start a New Converts Class specifically designed to educate new Christians.  She taught the class.  She was a youth counselor for youth attending the State and National Youth Conferences. She started a choir for the youth known as the “Little Soul Revivals”.  Izetta sang in the women’s choir, and the Dellcrest Adult Choir.

Izetta loved SwCC!  Every November, you could count on her being in the gym selling desserts, jewelry, and clothing and other nick nacks at the annual Fall Fair.  She even attended the graduations in May.  She received her Honorary Doctorate from SwCC in 2009. 

Izetta served in the Kingdom alongside her husband for 55 years.  God called him home on August 30, 2003, after a battle with colon cancer. Like she had done with other people placed in her care, Izetta took care of her husband until his last breath. Seven years later, she moved to Terrell, TX, where she enjoyed spending time with her family and her West End Church of Christ family.

Early in the morning, on August 4, 2022, Sis. Izetta Sams peacefully departed this life while sleeping.  She is now rejoicing with all of her loved ones who have gone before her.  She is preceded in death by her husband, Roosevelt Sams; grandparents Horace and Mahalia (Sheppard) Christman, Tom and Caroline (Baker) Clemons; parents Ollie and Ruby (Clemons) Christman, Sr.; four brothers Ollie Jr. (Louise), Amziah (Ida), Nathaniel (Shirley), L.C. (Dorothy); two sisters Jessie May and Willie Maxine.     

Sis. Izetta leaves to cherish her memory: two daughters Donna (Theorphus) Oates and Gale (Johnathan) McClinton; two sisters Helen (Johnnie) Fears and Otelia Cannon; two sister-in-laws Ida and Dorothy; five grandchildren: Michele (Garrick), Latrice, Angalina, Aleesha, and Nathan; eight great-grandchildren Mykaele, Derron, Aaliyah, Malayia, Qingston, Owen, Olivia and Golden; one godson Willie “K.C.” Coleman, and a host of nieces, nephews, and good friends.

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