Samuel McMillian Locke Jr. passed away on August 11, 2012, in Lake City, Florida, after a long illness related to old age.

Dr. Locke was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 9, 1931. He lived most of his younger years in Paducah, Kentucky, graduating from Augusta Tilghman High School in 1949. He attended Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, then moved to the University of Louisville for dental school.

Dr. Locke served his nation in the U.S. Army from 1957 until retiring in 1979 as a Colonel (O6) in the Dental Corps. His service included tours of duty in the Republic of Korea, Panama Canal Zone and the Federal Republic of Germany. Dr. (Colonel) Locke was one of the first dentists to examine the returning prisoners of war from Vietnam. After retiring from the Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, (receiving the Army Meritorious Service Award), he went on to teach Prosthodontics as an associate professor at the Medical University of South Carolina Dental School in Charleston for another 17 years.

Dr. Locke is survived by two sisters, June Locke Daniels of San Antonio, Texas, and Nancy Locke Baird of Chicago, Illinois; his son, Samuel McMillin Locke III and wife Kristy of Lake City, Florida; his daughter, Angela Melissa Guinn and her husband Edward of Charleston, South Carolina; seven grandchildren, Sean McMillin Locke (wife Meredith) of Erie, Colorado, Elisa Samantha Locke of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Felicity Sandra Guinn, Ethan Samuel Guinn, Nathaniel Cooper Guinn, Hannah Susan Guinn and Melody Claire Guinn; and two great-grandchildren, Ciaran McMillin and Eva Marie Locke.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel M. Locke Sr. (Popsie) and Bessie Mai Dearman Locke (Momsie) of Paducah, Kentucky; his wife, Sandra Locke of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; and sons, Peter Allen Locke, David Dearman Locke and (infant) John Locke.