Samuel Fielder Landreth, 87, of Marion, Va., died peacefully Thursday, March 12, 2009, at the Smyth County Community Hospital. Samuel Landreth was born January 12, 1922, in the Green Valley Community near Fries, Va., to William Lee and Ida (Boyles) Landreth. He graduated from Fries High School and then served as a medical officer in the 45th United States Army Thunderbird Infantry Division in World War II, with tours of combat duty in France, Italy, and Germany. Samuel Landreth was decorated with the Silver Star for Gallantry in Action during the invasion of France when he rescued a wounded soldier in an open field under enemy fire. He was awarded the Purple Heart when wounded by sniper fire while treating a wounded soldier, and the Bronze Medal for Good Conduct. When he returned from combat service, Samuel Landreth attended the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn., under the GI Bill and graduated as Valedictorian Optometrist of that School in 1952. Dr. Landreth opened his practice in Marion in 1952 and served the citizens of Smyth, Wythe, and Grayson Counties for nearly 40 years before his retirement. Samuel Landreth is survived by two sons, Kenneth Samuel Landreth, of Morgantown, W.Va., and David Charles Landreth, of Newport, Tenn.; three daughters-in-law, Louann Landreth, of Christiansburg, Va., Seattina Landreth, of Newport, Tenn., and Marianne Kovatch, of Morgantown, W.Va.; two grandsons, Matthew Samuel Landreth, of Chicago, Ill., and Benjamin Moss Landreth, of Corvalis, Ore.; as well as many nieces and nephews. Dr. Landreth was preceded in death by his loving wife, Iva Vaughan Landreth, of Fries; and one son, Jerry Lee Landreth, of Christiansburg. The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 15, 2009, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Bradley's Funeral Home, 938 N. Main Street in Marion and on Monday, March 16, 2009, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the VaughanGuynn Funeral Home in Galax. A graveside funeral service will be held 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, in the Felts Memorial Cemetery of Galax. Samuel Landreth was born to a musical family and was an accomplished guitarist, harmonica player, and singer throughout his life. He valued the role of music in families, taught his children to play, and continually encouraged others to play string band music. To honor that life-long personal conviction to preserve the music heritage of Southwest Virginia, the family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Wayne C. Henderson Music Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 531, Galax, Va. 24333. Further information about this program is available at www.waynehenderson.org and addressed donation envelopes will be available at both viewings.