James Philip Sampson Sr., 90, passed away on Wednesday, December 10, 2008. He was a resident of Westminster Oaks Retirement Community. Funeral services will be held at noon EST Friday, December 12, 2008 at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 2198 N. Meridian Road. Entombment will be at Tallahassee Memory Gardens. Jim was born on a farm in 1918 in Rushville, Indiana and grew-up in Albion, Michigan. During WWII he was a First Lieutenant in the 8th Air Force and served as a navigator on a B-24 bomber in Europe. He received a Distinguished Flying Cross after being shot down over France. After the war, he returned to college and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1950. After practicing as an architect in Madison, Wisconsin, he became a faculty member in Architectural Engineering at the University of Miami until he retired in 1983. He enjoyed spending time with his family, as well as gardening, reading, cooking, and working around the house. He moved to Tallahassee in 1993. He was a kind and caring man who will be missed by all who knew him. The family would especially like to thank the staff at Westminster Oaks and Big Bend Hospice for their outstanding care. Jim is survived by his son, James P. Sampson Jr. (and wife Sandy) of Tallahassee; his son, Ronald L. Sampson of San Jose, Costa Rica; and his brother, Clifford (and wife Orpha) of Ogden, Utah. Other survivors include three grandchildren, Matthew, Lauren, and René Sampson; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Orenia Sampson; and his parents, Donald and Ella Mae Sampson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Big Bend Hospice.

Published in Tallahassee Democrat on December 12, 2008.