Mary L. Sampson

Chatham, MA: Mary Lucille (Mickey) Sampson of 390 Orleans Road, Chatham, MA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 15, 2013, at Liberty Commons in Chatham at the age of 89. She was born in Buffalo, NY, on December 20, 1923, daughter of Albert Nicholas Smith and Harriet Lucille Knight Smith, and sister to Robert K. Smith and Margaret (Peggy) Smith Casper. She grew up in Snyder, NY, and graduated from Amherst High School (DATE). She was active in sports during school and a member of the basketball, soccer, baseball and swim teams. During High School she chose the nickname 'Mickey,' because she always liked Mickey Rooney, and was known as Mickey by all her friends for the rest of her life. After High School she graduated from the YWCA Secretarial School.

In 1945, while attending her best friend's wedding, she met the love of her life, Elmer (Buddy) Sampson from Chatham, who was in the Navy. They married a year later on October 26, 1946, and moved to Orchard Park, NY.

Mickey was an active and faithful Episcopalian. Growing up she joined her mother attending Calvary Episcopal Church, Williamsville, and was active in Youth Group. Later she attended St. Mark's Episcopal in Orchard Park, St. Christopher's in Chatham and St. James in Leesburg, FL. Mickey was always active in Altar Guild, Choir and ECW and was a organizer and contributor to many church fairs. While in Orchard Park, she was active in and President of the VFW Auxiliary.

Her children remember fondly her delicious baked goods and the crafts she made for church fairs. Mickey and Bud helped start Hickory Hill Swim Club, where she and the kids 'lived' all summer long.

After raising her children, Mickey and Bud moved to Chatham in 1972, which was Bud's childhood home, where she became bookkeeper at Chatham Hardware. While in Chatham they loved to spend time at his brother's, Warren Sampson, camp on North Beach.

They moved to Leesburg, FL, in 1977, and Mickey joined Leesburg Building Materials. In Florida, she became a DAR member, organizer and treasurer of her Singles Group, and a much loved volunteer at Leesburg Regional Medical Center.

After almost 38 years of loving commitment, Mickey endured Bud's untimely passing in 1984. She remained in Leesburg among her many friends until returning to Chatham in 2009.

Though she thought of herself as shy and quiet, Mickey could be feisty, stubborn and funny. In her early 80’s she got her first passport and joined Gail and David to tour London and Paris. Later trips to The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Italy made her a seasoned traveler. She perfected her ‘regal wave’ in London and her Mona Lisa smile in The Louvre.

Mickey is survived by all four of her children, Gail Smith of Chatham (David Smith), Peter D. Sampson of Attleboro (AnnMarie Arbour), Daniel L. Sampson of Virginia Beach (Terry Sampson) and James D. Sampson of Chatham (Robin Sampson of Honesdale, PA), and Sharron Thorne Chatterton, their AFS student from Australia, now living in Canada. She is also survived by her elder brother, Robert K. Smith of Lancaster (Ruth Smith), and sister, Peggy Casper of Batavia (Larry Casper). In addition, she is survived by her grandchildren, Kathryn (Casie) Smith Fariello of Hampton, NJ (Michael), David Smith of Ellicott City, MD (Heidi Castle-Smith), Michal Sampson of Seattle (Karen), Adam Sampson of Seattle, Maggie Sampson Semionova of Honesdale, Patrick Sampson of Brooklyn, Curtis Sampson of Portland, and Adam Potris of Attleboro. She is also survived by her loving great-grandchildren, Xander and Gabrielle Castle-Smith, Grace, Jon and Lucy Fariello, and Nedelya Semionova, as well as several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers at Broad Reach in Chatham, The Victorian, Liberty Commons and Hospice, for their caring support for Mickey.

There will be a memorial service later in the summer at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Chatham and she will be interred in the Memorial Garden. Funeral arrangements will be made by Nickerson Funeral Home, Chatham.