Samuel “Sammy” Schloegel

Samuel “Sammy” Anthony Schloegel passed away peacefully at home in Lakeview, surrounded by his loving family, on November 10, 2025. Born on June 6, 1961, in New Orleans to Lee Anna DiMartino and Harold Schloegel, Sammy was a true New Orleanian through and through. He grew up along Bayou St. John, where his lifelong love of family, food, and community first took root.

Sammy shared his life with his devoted wife and best friend, Gina, for more than four decades. Together they built not only a home and a family, but a warm and welcoming gathering place in Sammy’s Restaurant on Elysian Fields Avenue. For Sammy, cooking was never just a job, it was an act of love and way to bring people together. His dishes carried the same heart and soul he poured into his family, honoring the generations before him who passed down their love of food, laughter, and tradition.

The kitchen was where Sammy came alive. Whether he was perfecting a new recipe, cooking Sunday dinner for the family, or feeding anyone who walked through his restaurant doors. His food told a story of his heritage, his city, and his belief that sharing a good meal could make people feel nurtured and connected.

Sammy was most proud of his family: his beloved daughters, Katherine (Katie) and Samantha, who were the light of his life. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. Sammy’s presence filled a room with warmth and humor that made anyone feel like family. His loyal shepherd, Lucy Lou, was never far from his side.

When Sammy left this world, he was met with open arms in heaven by his mother, Lee Anna DiMartino; his father, Harold Schloegel; his maternal grandparents, Samuel “Sam” and Catherine “Katie” DiMartino; his paternal grandparents, Harold and Johanna Schloegel; his aunts, Marlene Klein and Connie Shambra; his uncle, John Shambra and many more beloved friends and family who went before him. There is comfort in knowing he’s surrounded once again by the love that shaped him.

He is survived by his wife, Regina (Gina) Hepburn Schloegel; his daughters, Katherine and Samantha Schloegel; his sister, Darlene Schloegel (Raymond) Bretz; his nephews, Justin (Tiffanie, Justin Jr., & Ava) and Brandon (Alex Zeringue) Hartenstein; his cousin, Jim Schloegel (Carly & Candice); his cousin LeeAnn LeBlanc (Samuel & Angela) and many more family and friends who loved him dearly.

Funeral will be held at St. Dominic Church (775 Harrison Ave., New Orleans, LA 70124) on Thursday, November 20th at 10 a.m., followed by a Mass at 12 p.m. Burial will follow at Metairie Cemetery which will be led by police escort.

Sammy’s legacy will live on in every shared meal and every story told around the table. He taught us that love, like good food, is meant to be shared.

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