Friends and family of Robert, Karen and Samuel Getter packed the Salem Fellowship Church in Lehighton on Saturday for a celebration of their lives.

The memorial at the church was so packed with friends, family, co-workers and fellow churchgoers that attendees were forced to park on the church lawn. Many patiently waited in a line that stretched outside the church itself to offer sympathies to the bereaved family.Robert (better known as "Sam"), 76; Karen, 73; and their son Samuel ("Sammy"), 52, were killed by a drunken driver in Florida on July 1.Joshua Eric Burbank, 25, has been charged with three counts of DUI manslaughter, one count of DUI property damage and careless driving.Sam and Karen Getter were both originally from Lehighton. Married for 53 years, they raised a family of three daughters, Bobby-Jo, Cynthia and Amanda, and one son, Sammy.Sam, Karen and Sammy all graduated from Lehighton Area High School.Sam served in the U.S. Navy, attaining the rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class. Before retirement, he worked as a truck driver for Consolidated Freightways. While living in Florida, he served as the transport coordinator for the Shriner's Children's Hospital.Karen worked as a secretary in the X-ray/medical departments of the Palmerton Hospital before retiring. While living in Florida, she worked with Sam at the Lake County Shrine Club Auxiliary, helping with bingo games and pancake breakfasts.Sammy had graduated from Lincoln Technical Institute. He served in the U.S. Navy, just like his father. At the time of his passing, he was working as an engineer with Northrop Grumman, conducting crystal growth synoptics.Throughout the church lobby, one could hear not the sounds of loss and heartbreak, but charming tales and a friendly nature that defined the Getters' lives. A collage of family photos was filled with smiling faces at happy events that spanned their lives.The church itself was packed to the brim, with practically every seat at the numerous tables taken up. People expressed fond memories, silly stories and whimsical traits of each family member with a pleasant smile. The event took a tone of a true celebration of life in lieu of mourning.With so many guests, the start of the memorial was pushed back by 45 minutes. Led by the Rev. Robert Johnson II, the ceremony was filled with hymnsthat provided comfort for the attendees.Avery, Sam and Karen's granddaughter and Sammy's niece, delivered a personal tribute. Stories of her beloved "Pop-Pop" cited times spent reading the newspaper funnies on his lap, and how he could always lighten the mood in a room."He was always doing stuff that made people laugh at him, or with him," she said with a tearful smile. She noted cheekily that her grandmother was "a little spitfire, and I don't know how my Pop-Pop dealt with her," to the chuckles of the crowd.Following this, the Navy Hymn was played out of respect for Sam and Sammy's service.Johnson conveyed several stories from the Getters' lives, drawing laughs and smiles from the audience as he noted how a young Sammy and his sisters loved to hide in the family's foldout couch and ride in the dryer.The memorial concluded with a processionto the Gnaden Huetten Cemetery in Lehighton for interment, followed by meal at the church.