Samantha Parker Kuester

Sam was born on September 28, 1965, in Newnan, Georgia to William “Billy” and Beverly Parker. She was the oldest of two children and a 1983 graduate of Newnan High School. She attended the University of West Georgia and went on to begin a storied 41-year career with Delta Airlines.

Sam began her career at Delta Airlines as a gate agent, where she developed a love for the aviation industry and the experience it provided passengers. In 1985, she became a flight attendant and took to the skies. Sam’s zest for meeting new people and places defined her career, ensuring each of her passengers reached their destinations safely and with a smile. Above all, she cherished the incredible people and lifelong friendships she developed throughout her years with Delta.

It was also during her time of travel that she met Mark, then a flight engineer, who joined the Delta family as a pilot. He would become her husband of 28 years and father to her two children. Together, Sam and Mark showed their children the world, visiting over 15 different countries and creating irreplaceable memories along the way.

In her day-to-day life, Sam excelled as a wife, mom, sister, aunt, best friend, neighbor, and cheerleader to all. Whether it was cooking in her kitchen, just the way her mother taught her, celebrating and supporting her children as they made their way into adulthood, or simply dropping in on friends, she was there with a laugh, and to make sure you had eaten. She will be remembered for her fiery personality, infectious laugh, and importantly, her impeccable taste. She will be dearly missed and cherished forever.

She is survived by her husband, Mark; their children, Sydney and Drew; her sister, Leigh Anne (Robb) Draughon; her sister in-law, Beth Ellingson, her brother-in-law, Jeff (Amy) Kuester; her nieces and nephews, Caroline and Kate Draughon, Alex, Jay and Luke Ellingson, Amelia and Nora Kuester; and her cousin, Bobby McKoy.

A celebration of Sam’s life will be held on Saturday, November 21, at 11:00 a.m. at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Road, Alpharetta, Georgia.