On Thursday, October 3, 2019, Donald Lindbergh Samples, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, hero, best friend, supporter, overcomer, and rock to many, passed away at the age of 91. He lived most of his life in Procious, WV.
Born May 17, 1928. He was a Navy Veteran, a 32nd degree Mason (Clay County Lodge #97 AF&AM), VFW Post 10476, and American Legion Post 0113. He had many jobs over the years including Dupont, Pipelining, Coal Mining, Kroger, Chevrolet Truck division in Cleveland, OH (making 1,200 left truck fenders a day), Freuhauf Trailer in Elyria, OH, Cadillac Cleveland Tank plant; where he completed welding school was assigned to the turret division, back to Dupont in 1952, then in 1953 driving a bus in Columbus, OH. From there he got a job as a welder making coal mining equipment and over the 7 years, was promoted to time and standards engineer.
He took classes at The Ohio State University, College of Engineering in Welding Engineering then took a job with North American Aviation, making Navy Jet Fighters. Then 10 years at Clendenin Lumber, promoted to VP, later he started politics and commercial businesses in Clay County: Samples Market and Samples Building Supply, 12 years as Clay County Commissioner. After earning a “University of Hard Knocks” degree from Jim Comstock and Alderson Broaddus, he earned a Regents Bachelor of Arts from Glenville State College in 1980.
In 1988 he accepted the position as Supervisor of Clay County DOH, and finally in 1991 he took the camp manager position at the Advent Christian Camp Ground in Santa Cruz, California.
He loved to travel and visited several countries in Europe and completed a goal of visiting all 50 of the United States. In keeping with his favorite, and most-known, piece of wisdom and advice passed down to all who loved him was “fake it till you make it,” and he certainly made it.
He had a passion for creating welded metal art sculptures for friends and family. He had an amazing ability to see a pile of scrap metal as people, horses, dogs, flowers, bugs, dinosaurs and more. These sculptures are sprinkled about all over the country and are prized possessions to those friends and family members.
Preceded in death by parents Jake (1941) and Eva Samples (1997), his first wife of 58 years, Nora “Carmin” Samples (2006), and his daughter Vicki Paxton Samples (1995), sister Violet Claire Wyche (2010) and brothers “Boy Roy” (Tony) Samples (2019), Dickie (1971) and Mark (1932). He is survived by his Bride, Judy Samples, his sisters Phillis Joy Samples, Garnet Kay “Katie” Khan, and Sherry Bassy; and daughter Vivian Yvonne Maynor, grandchildren Abraham Jones, Jill Grandchamp, and Jodi Grimm, and great grandchildren Jordan and Justin Jones, Dylan, Cameron, and Morgan Grandchamp, and Luke, Tyler, Emily, and Bryce Grimm.
No services are planned per his wishes.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in honor or in memory to HospiceCareWV at https://www.hospicecarewv.org/make-donation/.
