Anne-Leigh Sampson

She grew up in upstate New York and graduated from Gorham High School in 1959.

After High School she studied Biology and Chemistry, at the College of Emporia, graduating in 1963. She used her degree to become a Medical Technologist.

She married William Sampson in Emporia, KS in 1963 and their son Leigh was born in April of 1965 in Emporia. Their daughter Sarah would follow in 1969 in Wichita, KS. Although they would divorce in 1978, they would become friends again, especially later in life.

She worked as a Med Tech for twenty years in many locations in Kansas and Montana. She went back to school at Northwest College and Montana State University till she realized her life-long dream to become a Registered Nurse.

During her years of going back to school, many folks remember her working as a cook in the cafeteria and at many other jobs to help make ends meet. She never complained about not doing what she loved and always saw any work she did to help others.

More than anywhere else people remember Anne from her love of working with the youth of the Episcopal Church. From the Happening movement, youth groups, and probably most importantly Camp Marshall on Flathead Lake in Montana. When “Momma Anne” was with the church kids she was in her happiest place. She held each one of you in her heart and prayed for every one of you every day. For many of the kids at camp she was synonymous with Camp Marshall.

After receiving her nursing degree, she worked as a nurse in long-term care in Wyoming until moving to Alaska to be near her daughter Sarah. There she found her true calling, working in the Alaska Prison system as a nurse.

In Alaska she found out how much fun it was to spoil a couple of new grandchildren after Sarah got married. She spent time in the summer fishing – including Halibut fishing, which she loved. She travelled all over the state. She retired from the Seward Correctional Center working for the State of Alaska.

Anne Retired to Montana to live near her daughter Sarah and her son-in-law David. After retirement you could often find her volunteering her time at Northern Montana Hospital, where she had once worked as an RN. She and her friends in Hingham spent time having fun and traveling around the northern part of Montana.

But eventually she joined Sarah and David and became a snowbird traveling back and forth between Kalispell, MT and Yuma, AZ. After several years the trips became too much. Then she found her home in Yuma and her home church at St Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Anne-Leigh loved the Lord, and she loved helping people. She was always there when you needed a shoulder to cry on, or someone to just listen to you. Although she had very little, she gave everything she could to others.

Anne-Leigh is survived by her brother Herbert Arthur (Art) Foxall, Jr, her son Leigh Andrew Sampson, her Daughter Sarah Claire (Sampson) Puerner, her son-in-law David Puerner, her grandchildren Nicholas Hilton, Zachary Puerner, and Emily Puerner and her ex-husband William Sampson

She was preceded in death by her father Herbert Arthur Foxall, Sr., her mother Ruth (Dearstyne) Foxall, and her sister Lisa (Foxall) Steiner

The family has entrusted Johnson Funeral Home with the arrangements.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for this summer during Alumni Camp at Camp Marshall in Polson Montana. A reception will follow at Camp.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Camp Marshall – Diocese of Montana (Episcopal) in memory of Anne Sampson for the Nurses Cabin.