Samuel “Busta, Samwise, Cracka Jack” Tatum passed peacefully on December 13, 2019 in Dallas, Texas at the age of 30.
Samuel is survived by his parents, Darrin Tatum of Pottsboro, Texas and Misty Coyle of McKinney, Texas; Siblings, Kayla Tatum of Brock, Texas and Mackenzie Moreno of McKinney, Texas; grandparents, Sam and Linda Tatum of Sulphur Springs, Texas, Marcy and Tim Lindenzweig of Greenville, Texas, Mike Coyle of Greenville, Texas and Soul mate Megan Phillips.
Sam was born on April 30, 1989 in Waco, Texas to Darrin Tatum and Misty Coyle. He graduated from Denison High School in 2007 with honors. After graduation, he joined the United States Army. Following his military service, he spent the next chapter of his life as a chef in resorts across the country. His best memories are feeding Moose out of the kitchen in Glacier National Park, snowboarding to work in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and traipsing through the mountains in the Grand Tetons. In addition to these adventures, he was a culinary genius. Working at several prestigious restaurants across the country, he gained a network of friends that he considered his second family. His friends and family remember him as a wild and free spirit. He marched to the beat of his own drum and his love knew no depth. He was a beautiful poet and gifted musician. Sam was a loyal, passionate and thrill-seeking individual who loved the outdoors and who loved adventure and living life in each and every moment.
“If you are faced with a mountain, you have several options. You can climb it and cross to the other side. You can go around it. You can dig under it. You can fly over it. You can blow it up. You can ignore it and pretend it’s not there. You can turn around and go back the way you came. Or you can stay on the mountain and make it your home.”— Vera Nazarian
Sam dreamed of returning to his favorite place in the mountains one day. His friends and family know that he has the fresh mountain breeze on his face and warm sunshine guiding his path. He’s finally home.
