Joyce Elaine Sampson

Joyce Sampson will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She brought immeasurable joy and laughter into the lives of everyone who knew her. She loved God with all her heart and strived to live each day of her life loving and encouraging others.

Joyce was born on May 21, 1936 to Robert and Eva Carlson in Spokane, Washington. She attended Emerson Elementary School and then Northwest Christian for high school. Joyce met her husband, Murrel Sampson, during her sophomore year of high school. She was singing in a trio at Knox Presbyterian Church. Murrel fell in love with her after hearing her sing, and sixty one years of marriage later they were both telling the story of how he picked her out of the group that night and pursued her ever since. They were engaged at the beginning of Joyce’s senior year of high school and were married on September 3, 1954 at First Covenant Church. Together they lived a life full of love, happiness and most of all, fun. God was the center and strength of their marriage and they raised their three children to love Him with all their hearts and to keep Him first in their lives.

Joyce had always dreamed of being a wife and mother, and once those dreams came true she strove to be the best she could possibly be. Throughout her life, Joyce’s priority was always her family. She worked night shifts for ten years so that she would not miss any of the daily activities or events that her children participated in. Eventually, Murrel and Joyce purchased property on the Pend Oreille River, and the time they spent there with their children and grandchildren formed some of their most treasured memories.

Joyce worked at Washington Trust Bank for 39 years and during that time formed a close-knit group of friends who remained a significant part of her life long after retirement. One of Joyce's favorite activities while working at the bank was planning the yearly Christmas party which everyone felt was one of the highlights of each year. Joyce had a profound impact on everyone she met. She was always a nurturer and peacemaker, with a generous and giving spirit. She made sure that her entire family came together for every birthday, holiday, graduation, and any other event you could think of to share in the celebration, usually with one of her beautiful poems to document the occasion. She brought everyone together and created traditions that will live on through her family for many years to come.

Joyce passed away on October 15, 2015. Joyce is survived by her husband of 61 years Murrel Sampson; four brothers, Bobby, David (Doris), Gary, and Billy (Ruth) Carlson; three children, Doug (Kathy) Sampson, Charlene (Gary) Kretz, and Sherri (Doug) Battles; ten grandchildren, Justin (Stacy) , Landin (Cassi), Jamesin (Kandace), Sheldin, Bredesin, Keynin and Trevin Kretz, Joshua Sampson, Amanda (Dan) Fry, and Kayci (Kaleb) Rokstad; and two great-grandchildren, Baylee and Raelin. Joyce was preceded in death by her sister Jeannine Tumlison and sister-in-law Barbara Carlson. A special thanks to Hospice House for their wonderful care for both Joyce and her family during her last days. A Celebration of Joyces life will be held at Ball & Dodd Funeral Home located at 5100 W. Wellesley on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at 11:00am.