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A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.
Gary Taylor remembers his best friend Sam “Coach Sam” Farris
JELLICO, TN (WLAF)- Ask someone who Manuel John Farris is, and you’ll likely get a blank look. However, when you bring up the name Sam, Coach Sam or Sambo, there is an ah-ha moment.
The legend known as Sam has left us. Decades ago, Sam was embraced by the Jellico community, and he welcomed that embrace. Sadly, the young man, Sam, who became a legend and the most popular person in Jellico, died last month.
The first time Gary Taylor laid eyes on Sam, he was across a field (ABOVE PHOTO) staring at Taylor, and it left Taylor uneasy. “Ralph Davis was there and said that Sam was harmless and was a great person,” said Taylor. From that day, Taylor and Sam became fast friends, best friends.
Taylor, the local barber, had come to work at his original barber shop, once next to the current shop, and brought a biscuit with him for breakfast his very first day. Before any customers arrived, Sam showed up. “I thought this is not good. He’s here this early, and I only have one biscuit,” said Taylor.
At lunch time that first day, Taylor picked up some lunch for him and Sam; then breakfast the next morning. “We ate breakfast and lunch together everyday for the next 16 years,” said Taylor. Taylor would either bring food, go get food or give Sam money and send him to get food. “Oh, when I run out to get food, Sam would watch the shop until I made it back,” said Taylor.
“When I was a kid, I felt like he’d live forever,” said Dino Oaks, former Jellico High Coach, Athletics Director and Principal.
There are not too many people who played sports in Jellico that Sam didn’t come across, according to Oaks. “There was a lot going on in the 1970s and ’80s, and Sam was always around,” said Oaks.
“There’s a lot of sad people. Sam will be missed. He touched so many lives,” added Oaks.
“It was a Saturday, my busiest day, and I was covered up. I sent Sam over here to the grocery store to get us some lunch, one of those rotisserie chickens. You know they’re not that big. He came back, and I just couldn’t catch a pause to eat. Sam ate the whole chicken. I sent him back later for another. Same results. Then he went a third time. That time, I grabbed me a leg. In no time, Sam had eaten a third chicken.
A love for the Tennessee Vols was a big part of who Sam was making the mural of Sam on the outside wall of Taylor’s shop so fitting. “A painter stopped by here once asking if he could paint a Godly message on the building, and I told him he could do two, one on each side of the building. He then painted Sam on the side of the building,” said Taylor.
Besides stopping at the barber shop, Sam made his rounds elsewhere around town on an almost daily basis. It wasn’t uncommon to see Sam wearing his SECURITY cap. Sam was a proud, regular medalist in Special Olympics competitions.
Sam was gifted in his on way, and perhaps those who knew Sam or were ever around him will remember that his greatest gift was simply being Sam.
“Carson Payne’s wife Betty worked at The Doll House, and she had a chili recipe. Ever so often, she’d call and ask how many chili buns we’d like, and we’d order some. But we’d always get 10 for Sam, and he’d eat everyone of them,” said Taylor.
“A sad day when I got the call about Sam, but there’ll be a big crowd at that funeral,” said Taylor. Visitation for Sam is Saturday starting at 10:30am at the Llewellyn Funeral Home Chapel.
A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.
For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini at ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE.
(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-09/07/2026-6AM-PHOTOS SUBMITTED)