USA Rice extends condolences to the family and friends of Samuel “Sammy” Noel who passed away Tuesday, December 12. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Pamela Andrepont Noel.
Sammy was a lifelong resident of Cow Island where he farmed rice, cattle, and crawfish for more than 40 years. He was a caring, hardworking, and dedicated man with an abundance of compassion for everyone. Many of his friends became a part of his “family” and he cherished spending time with those he loved.
A 1974 graduate of E. Broussard High School, he received his B.S. degree in Agriculture Business in 1977 from the University of Southwest Louisiana (now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), and, in 1990, was a graduate of the inaugural Louisiana State University Agriculture Leadership Development Program.
Sammy’s involvement in the rice and Louisiana agriculture industries began at a young age, when he became an active member by serving on local and state organizations, including the Vermilion Rice Growers Association, Louisiana Rice Growers Association, Vermilion Cattlemen’s Association, Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association, Coulee Baton Drainage Board, and the White Lake Advisory Committee.
He also served on the Louisiana Farm Bureau Rice Advisory Committee, as president of Vermilion Farm Bureau from 1987 to 1991, on the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation State Board of Directors from 1999 to 2003, and the Louisiana Rice Research Board from 2006 to 2023. Sammy was honored as the Cecil McCrory Farmer of the Year in 1995 by the Abbeville Rotary Club.
“I had the pleasure of working with Sammy on both the Louisiana Rice Research Board and the White Lake Conservation Area Advisory Board for many years,” said USA Rice’s Dr. Steve Linscombe. “Sammy was always very involved and devoted to making those boards as productive as possible. More importantly, he was a really good guy and a good friend.”
The friendships and connections he made over the years with fellow agricultural producers and industry representatives dedicated to the advancement of Louisiana agriculture were ones he cherished. Whether sharing adventures with family and friends, hunting at his camp in Mississippi or abroad, and regularly hosting suppers at his camp in Perry, Louisiana, Sammy delighted in the gatherings of fellowship and cooking for everyone, often taking the spoon from the cook!
“Sammy was one of the first farmers I worked with when I started my career out of college,” said Kane Webb, USA Rice director of field services. “A lot of what I know about farming rice, especially in the unique region that is south Vermilion, I learned from him and his father on their farm. He and Pam’s friendship has always been more like a family to me and the girls, and we will truly miss him like so many others that had the chance to know him.”
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home, Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles Street., on Monday, December 18, from 9:30 a.m. until 1:45 p.m. when the procession will depart for St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church. A rosary is being prayed at 10:30 a.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the church. Condolences may be sent to the family at
www.vincentfuneralhome.net.