Gary J. Sampson

Gary J. Sampson,age 75, of Clovis passed away on Wednesday, December 22, 2010. Dad was born on August 2, 1935, in San Francisco, California to George and Nettie Sampson. Dad grew up in several locales in California, including the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley. Dad was student body president and an outstanding athlete at Tulare High School and graduated in 1954. After graduation from Tulare High School, he served in the United States Marine Corps from 1954 through 1958. While stationed in Barstow, California during his tenure with the Marine Corps, he became an expert marksman, rifle range instructor, nicknamed "Gunny" and achieved the rank of Sergeant. While in the Marine Corps, Dad met the love of his life, Katy Gaines, and upon completion of his military service, he married Mom in September of 1958, and moved to the San Fernando Valley. At that time he attended California State University, Northridge where he majored in accounting and played on the first Northridge baseball team. After one year at Northridge, our parents moved to Fresno, Ca. where Dad graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1961 with a B.S. in Accounting. After graduation, he went to work for Bradford, Stark and McGee which later merged with Touche, Ross and Company, a national accounting firm. Gary became a CPA in 1963 and opened his own public accounting firm in 1968. One year later, he formed a partnership, Sampson and Abaci, CPA's. During this time, Katy worked with Gary as an accountant and office administrator while becoming a CPA as well. In 1981 Gary and Katy became business partners, and opened the firm Sampson & Sampson, CPA's in Clovis. In 2007 the firm admitted their two sons Dan and Doug and long time employee Bill Patterson as partners and formed Sampson, Sampson and Partners, LLP. Gary was the managing partner and loved the one on one relationship with his clients. Gary's favorite area of public accounting was in the area of litigation support where he developed an excellent reputation as an expert witness in forensic accounting. Gary also enjoyed teaching, and taught accounting and finance at Fresno City College and Fresno State University for 14 years. His students appreciated hearing his everyday work experiences, as well as his sense of humor. Dad was a devoted member and treasurer of the Serra Club of Fresno and was honored in March of this year for his years of dedicated service. Dad's 40 year membership made him one of the two longest serving members of the club. For over 45 years, Dad was a member of the California Society of CPA's. He was an original member of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Board, served as Parents Club President, fundraised and supported the development of the school and the parish. Dad loved baseball and was instrumental in forming the Clovis Catholic Cougar Little League, spending 14 years coaching and fundraising for youth baseball. Dad was also a founding member of the Clovis ICF. Dad was a passionate outdoorsman who loved fishing and hunting with his family and friends, especially trolling the waters of Shaver Lake for Kokanee Salmon with Mom and duck hunting at the Reedley Duck Club. Dad also loved to travel around the world with Mom, was an avid reader, excellent conversationalist and public speaker. Gary is survived by Katy, his wife of 52 years; his son, Dan Sampson and his wife Terry and their sons, Matt, Brian and Nick; his daughter, Sue Sampson-Dalena and her husband Peter and their children Nathan and Nicco, his son, Doug Sampson and his wife Janice and their children Anne and Jack. Visitation will be held at Boice Funeral Home, 308 Pollasky Avenue, Clovis on Wednesday December 29, 2010, from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. Recitation of the Holy Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Clovis on Thursday, December 30, 2010, at 12:30 p.m. Remembrances may be made to the Serra Club of Fresno, 3148 Willow Ave. #102, Clovis, Ca. 93612; or Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, 836 DeWitt Ave. Clovis, Ca. 93612.