Sammie Louise White Lancaster was born April 30, 1942, in Jena, Louisiana; her parents were S. B. White and Louise Greer Welch. Her parents, step-father Louis Welch, one sister Deloris Wallace Clay, all preceded her in death.
Sammie attended and graduated school from Goodpine High School in Jena, Louisiana. She attended college at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earning a B. S. Degree in Business Education. She also attended the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, where she earned a Master's Degree in Secondary Education.
Sammie was an employee of the Clark County School District for 32 ½ years. She started her career in January of 1970, at James Cashman Junior High School with Mr. Richard Priest as principal. Her assignment was a Business Education teacher, where she taught Typing I, personal typing, notehand and general business to 8th and 9th graders. During her first year of teaching typing she had a classroom with 62 typewriters; all seats were occupied on a daily basis for all six class periods for several years. She taught an early bird typing class to 9th graders for two years; summer school typing one summer; and taught Shorthand at the Clark County Community College one year. During her career in the classroom, she was Master Teacher for three teachers' from UNLV. She taught many students who were either teachers or administrators. She helped with extra-curricular activities. She was a chaperone for several off-campus activities such as Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Mt. Charleston, Valley of Fire Museum, school dances and basketball games. She also supervised a "Buddy Club" for new students. "Believe It" she was a "COACH" for 7th and 8th grade girls basketball teams during the 1979-80 school year. She had several students participate in a "Flashtype" typing contest for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Two of her students received an award for their effort. She collected ticket money for basketball games several years. She supervised student workers who were assigned to work in the Cafeteria and student aides assigned to teachers and office staff. She also worked with Peer Mediation for two years. As a business teacher she nominated several students to the United States Achievement Academy. One of her students was the winner of the United States National Award in business education.
In January of 1990, she became a Guidance Counselor. Her first assignment was with the 9th grade. She trained and worked with fourteen counselors.
Sammie saw changes from Junior high school students to Middle school students. She completed her 32 ½ years at James Cashman which is "really" an accomplishment. She worked with seven principals and seven assistant principals. She taught typing to her last assistant principal.
She was a member of the Employee Recognition Committee for two years. She worked on the Sunshine Social Committee eight years. She was recognized as an Employee of the Month two times. She also worked with the incentive programs for students. She worked with the Human Relations Club two years. She organized and produced the Parent Newsletter for a year. She was in charge of "School Bell" seven years. She worked with the "Homeless Program" several years. She also took several students shopping for Christmas clothes. She selected two students for an outside agency to help with Christmas baskets, toys and clothing for Cashman students. She served on the Opportunity Review panel several times.
As a counselor she worked with the Southern Nevada School Counselors' Association five years. She received a plaque from the Association for her years of dedication to the "Counselors’ Agency Fest".
She always loved working with Junior High and Middle School age children, not just a school, but with the church and community. She was a sponsor for a Nevada Youth Football League; the team was The Rookie Jaguars. She followed in her mother and step-father's footstep as a teacher.
She came to the Lord on Thursday, September 19, 1957, and was baptized at Trout Creek Baptist Church, Trout, Louisiana. She served as secretary for Sunday school.
Sammie was married to Robert Lancaster, Jr., who preceded her in death.
Sammie united with the Victory Missionary Baptist Church. She sang in the choir, served as an usher and was Vice President of the usher board. She also united with Mt. Ararat Missionary Baptist Church. She was the Financial Secretary and an usher…a dedicated member of the church. She became a member of Word of Life Christian Center in September, 1997. She served as an Ambassador.
She was a member of Eastern Star Esther Grand Chapter of Louisiana and member of the Grand Court of Heroines of Jericho. She was a member of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, Seattle Chapter where she participated with the voter registration drive. She was a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma Service Sorority, Southern University and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Las Vegas Alumnae Chapter, a member of the Red Hat Society and a member of the Senior Tripsters Inc.
She loved traveling. Places she traveled were Catalina Island, Hawaii, Canada, Washington, D.C., New York, Maryland, Virginia Beach and Seattle, Washington. She enjoyed cruises and made several trips to the Caribbean which included the Mexican Rivera, Aruba, Tortalo, St. Thomas, Curacao, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel, Mazatlan, Mexico, Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan, Belize and Grand Cayman, Cayman Island.
Her hobbies were cooking, sewing, reading, decorating and painting her house, playing board games, playing checkers, dominoes, bingo, movies, dancing and entertaining her friends.
She lived a wonderful life filled with love, joy, caring, sharing and helping the needy. She was happy and loved her friends.
She was loved by all the children whose lives she touched daily.
Sammie was called to heaven on Saturday, December 9th, 2017. She leaves her memories to her son Darryl Louis Lancaster; granddaughter Daryl Nicole Lancaster of Las Vegas; loved as a daughter Pamela Louise Henry (Joe Henry); two God-daughters Cynthia Thomas, Las Vegas, NV and Ashuanti Smith, Seattle, WA; two cousins, Wallie Gilchrist (Jack), Seattle, WA, and Evelyn Drapes, Las Vegas, NV; step-brother Wayne Whitehead (Zorator) of Flagstaff, AZ; nephew James Douglas, Jr.; niece Venice Hamilton, both of Las Vegas, NV; and a host of relatives and friends.
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