Sammy Don Thigpen, of Kerrville, passed away on December 23, 2025 in Bandera, TX. He was born in Rosco, TX to Eugene Truitt Thigpen and Alice Lorraine Neal on March 26, 1949.

At an early age his family moved to Kerrville before the family settled in Austin, TX. Sammy graduated from McCallum High School in Austin. He was an Army veteran and was stationed in Germany. He was carpenter/painter by trade and had various other jobs; mostly self-employed. As a teenager, he was baptized in the Baptist Church. He loved to bowl and was on a bowling league for many years.

Sammy had kind heart and would give you the shirt off his back and would help anyone in need. He loved to joke around and make people laugh. He was a good craftsman and could make just about anything. After his disability he made clocks and lighted block pictures which he sold at craft shows in and around Kerrville.

Sammy was preceded in death by his father Eugene Truitt Thigpen (San Angelo) and mother Alice Lorraine Neal Walters (Austin), stepfather Adam C. Walters, stepbrother Charles Walters and stepsister Dorothy J. Rodriguez and his nephew Shaun N. Sharpe (Austin).

Survivors include his sister Betty Ann Thigpen Sharpe and husband Nelson (Taylor), sons Sammy Buchanan and wife Kelly (Hutto), Thomas Joseph (TJ) Thigpen (Odessa) and grandson Daxton Buchanan (Hutto). He also has a large extended family of Neals in and around Kerrville.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, January 16, 2026, at Grimes Funeral Chapels, 728 Jefferson St., Kerrville, TX with Janice Rodriguez officiating. Sammy has been cremated per his wish.

The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to hospice nurse Rebecca Rodriguez and social worker Janice Rodriguez with Peterson Hospice and Mike, his veteran volunteer. Also to express our thanks to Betty Conroy for helping Sammy for a number of years, and all his friends and neighbors who continued to visit and help Sammy.

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