Sanford "Sambo" Thomas Ipock

Sanford “Sambo” Thomas Ipock, 73, of Newport, passed away on Monday, February 27, 2017, at Carteret Health Care.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, March 2, 2017, at Munden Funeral Home Chapel in Morehead City with Pastor Bob Lowery officiating. Interment will follow the service at Bayview cemetery in Morehead City.

Sambo was happiest when he was outside. He was like a kid with a new toy if he could just play with a new piece of equipment - front end loader, backhoe, bulldozer. Just a new toy for him. Give him a piece of dirt and he wanted to plow and plant something. Grapevines, fruit trees, veggies - you name it, he would try to grow it. And his animals! We moved to the Greenville area to raise quarterhorses, and then it became rabbits, dogs, chickens, koi fish in the pond, and then it became - well you get the picture! Sam was a softie at heart. But, he missed the salt air and family was calling, so back to Carteret County we came. He had already taught me how to surf-fish, how to tie on my lines, how to catch and release all these fish we caught, and boy - we really enjoyed the fishing. He actually loved my seafood cooking - no teaching on that needed.

In his earlier life, he was happiest showing horses for friends like Cliff Edwards and El Franks. He was even champion of the Coastal Plains circuit. Weekends he spent on horseback with the chuckwagon and kids.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy Leatherwood Ipock; daughter, Cindy Ipock Gray; son, Sanford T. Ipock, Jr. and wife Nicolle; brothers, James “Bubby” Ipock, Russell “Sug” Ipock, Kemp Ipock, Mike Ipock, and Bobby Ipock; grandchildren, Amanda Gray, Jennifer Gray, Abby Ipock, and Cole Ipock; great-grandchildren, Carter Hamilton, McKenna Hamilton, and Aaliyah Jackson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Letha Mae Glancy Ipock; brothers, Billy Ipock, Lennis Ipock, and Charles Ipock; and his sister, Janie Priddy.

The family will receive friends at Munden Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, from 6:00pm – 8:00 pm.

Online Condolences may be made to the family at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.