David Sam

David Sam (born August 12, 1933) is a United States District Judge.

Andrew Sirb and his future wife, Flora Toma, were both born on 25 February 1894, on the same street in Beliu, Romania. They married in April 1913 and began planning to flee political oppression on the eve of World War I. In March 1914 Andrew set off for the United States, walking or riding trains as available. He was arrested (for traveling without proper paperwork) and supposedly sent back to Romania, but managed to board a train traveling westward instead. He walked much of the 750 miles across Austria-Hungary, then was arrested again upon entering Germany. However, a kind-hearted German officer helped him obtain a visa and passport, and put him on a US-bound ship. He wired Flora to inform her of his departure (she had previously obtained a visa, and thus was able to travel without problems); she departed Europe just as war-clouds began preventing such movement.

Andrew Sam (his name had somehow become altered during the paperwork involved with the immigration offices) and Flora Toma Sirb/Sam were reunited in Hobart, Indiana, where he worked in a steel mill, purchased a farm, and they raised 11 children (one died in infancy). The youngest child was David, born 12 August 1933. Flora died in 1937; the children were essentially raised by Andrew and one of his daughters, also named Flora.

Several of the Sam brothers were excellent basketball players during high school, and two of them (Joe and David) attended college on athletic scholarships. Another brother, Dan, decided to attend Brigham Young University in Utah when he learned of its highly-rated basketball program. While there, he was converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and returned to Indiana to bring several members of the family (including David) into the church.

David Sam was student body president and star of the basketball team in high school, attended Valparaiso University for a year, then transferred to BYU in Utah. After three years he served a religious mission (to Minnesota) for the church (financially supported by his brother Dan).

Sam received a B.S. degree from BYU in 1957, then earned a law degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City in 1960.

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