Sam Walls

Sam Walls (George Samuel Walls Jr.) was born November 17th, 1939, to be the chosen son of Fleta Ricks and George Walls Sr. of Dallas Texas.

He was born again to be a son of God and brother of Jesus, his Savior, in 1953. He was called to be with them on February 11th, 2022.

The Walls family moved from Dallas to Cleburne in 1948 where Same attended public school, graduating from Cleburne High School in 1957.

He attended North Texas State College in Denton and Southern Methodist University n Dallas where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1961 while working summers and after school, since the early 1950’s, in sales and production for Walls Manufacturing Company, and its subsidiary companies Walls of Texas, Inc. and Clif-Tex Manufacturing, Inc.

These companies, which were merged to form Walls Industries, Inc. in 1969, designed, manufactured, and marketed, under the “Walls” name and private label brands, a variety of apparel products ranging from children’s novelty western wear, jeans, shorts, work coveralls, and one piece insulated garments for hunting, snowmobiling and work, one piece leisure and casual apparel, down and synthetically insulated coats, jackets, and vests.

Sam spent a year in New York City, working in a children’s apparel sales showroom and completing an Associate of Applied Science degree program in Apparel Manufacturing Technology at the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1962.

He served 1962-1970 in the United States Naval Air Reserve as an anti-submarine warfare sonar operator and rescue helicopter crew member. Sam was proud of his military service as a “weekend warrior”.

Upon returning to Cleburne in 1963, Mr. Walls was employed on a full time basis by “Walls”. He worked in manufacturing and design, and as manager of marketing, sales and advertising. Sam was elected resident and a Director in 1969, serving until the end of 1982 when Walls Industries was sold, a second time, to outside investors.

Sam married Marilyn Kay Sanders more than 55 years ago, on December 23rd, 1966. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Martha Walls Murdoch. He was survived by his wife, son George S. Walls III and wife Carrie, daughter Emily Kay Walls Insall and husband Cliff, grandchildren, Caroline and Samuel Walls, Abigail and Hunter Insall, his sister Nancy Walls Devaney and Husband Pete, his brother in law David Murdoch. He is also survived by his “favorite” niece Ann Katherine Werner King, and three “favorite” nephews, Chris, Matt, and Pat Devaney and their families. All living in Cleburne except Chris and Matt.

Until he earned the title of “Daddy” and somewhat later “Granddaddy”, he was very happy being “Uncle Sam”, a name he has always cherished.

After selling Walls Industries, Inc. beginning in 1979, Sam also served as Director and Later Chief Executive Officer of Samaritan Investment Corporation. A publicly traded closed-end mutual fund, until the company was liquidated in 2009. He was the managing partner of Triple W Investment Company, and was his sisters, Co-Managing Partner of Walls Family Partnership until his immediate family formed Sam Walls Family Investments, LP in 2013.

Sam was a director of First National Bank in Cleburne and a founder and director of First National Bank in Joshua, which later became Brazos Bank shares, a small, multi-bank holding company, which was sold in 2000.

Mr. Walls became a trustee of Harris Methodist Walls Regional Hospital Cleburne in 1986, serving three terms as chairman. Over the years Sam served as trustee and chairman of Harris Methodist Affiliated Hospitals and the Harris Methodist Health System and as a trustee of Texas Health Resources. He was a trustee of the Harris Methodist Health Foundation and served as chairman of the investment committees for HMHS, HMHF, and THR. His service in the healthcare field was a highlight of his life.

Mr. Walls was a past director and chairman of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, chairman of the Santa Fe District Committee, Boy Scouts of America and served on the board of the Longhorn Council, BSA, a director of the Community Foundation of North Texas, director of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce and director and president of the Cleburne Economic Development Foundation. He was a founding member of the Cleburne Tuesday Forum.

Sam served as vice-chair and chairman of the Republican Party of Johnson County and on the State Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Texas. Kay and Sam were delegates to many Republican State Conventions.

A member of First Baptist Church of Cleburne since 1956, Mr. Walls had served terms as a member and as chair of the personnel and stewardship committees and assisted Kay in her role as chair of the college scholarship committee.

Sam has worked diligently on helping get the new Cleburne Railroad Museum set up. His long time love of trains is a true work of art.

Donations can be made to the building fund at First Baptist Church Cleburne, Texas Health Foundation, for the Texas Health Cleburne Hospital, and the Cleburne Railroad Museum.


Service for Sam Walls will be conducted at 1:00 P.M., Friday, February 18, 2022 at First Baptist Church in Cleburne. Burial will follow in Rosehill Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8:00 P.M., Thursday, February 17, 2022 at the funeral home.