Sam Taliaferro, devoted father and husband, developer, entrepreneur and cherished friend to hundreds of people around the world, passed away early this morning after a two year battle with cancer.
Words like “pioneer” and “visionary” are used frequently to describe successful people but few truly deserve those titles as much as Sam.
Sam was a pioneer in the true sense of the word. He came to Panama with a desire to settle here and make this country a better place to live and there is no doubt that he succeeded. He loved his adopted country and Boquete so much that he spent much of the past ten years telling the world what a special place Panama is. His enthusiasm was infectious and hundreds of people from all corners of the world came to Panama and to Boquete to share in his dream.
Sam’s vision has always been clear and unwavering. He knew Boquete’s true potential and his deepest desire was to enrich the lives of others – both the local people working here and the people from around the world who would call Boquete their home. For Sam, vision was a real and tangible thing. He could “see” what he wanted his world to be and used his energy and focus to shape this vision into reality. His legacy, Valle Escondido, is a testimony to this vision.
They say that the value of a man’s life is not measured by the physical things he possesses but rather by the lives he touches. By this measure, Sam was truly a rich man. Over his lifetime, Sam physically and spiritually touched the lives of hundreds of people and touched the lives of thousands more through his blogs and his writings. Each of these lives is a little better off from their contact with Sam.
Sam’s physical presence is gone and he will be sorely missed by his family and friends. But, Sam’s spirit is still here and alive in the community he created and the lives he touched.
In this time of sorrow, let’s try not to focus on what is gone but instead look to what has been achieved. Sam wouldn’t want it any other way.
God bless Sam Taliaferro and God bless and comfort his family during these difficult days.
Sam’s ashes will be placed in the chapel at Valle Escondido tomorrow, February 18th at 2:00pm if you wish to stop by and pay your respects. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 19th at 2:00pm at the Catholic church on main street in Boquete.
Paul McBride