Barbara Ann Sampson

Barbara Ann (Barmore) Sampson, 81, of Westfield, was born November 25, 1941, to Denzel (Myers) Barmore and Clyde Barmore in Home Place, Indiana and was called home on August 22, 2023. Barb’s family would like to thank the staff at Wellbrooke of Westfield for their outstanding devotion and care over the last year and the staff at Paradigm Health for their wonderful hospice care and support.

Barb is survived by her loving daughter, Shannon (Sampson) Stuart, her son-in-law, Tim Stuart of Westfield and grandchildren Tyler, Siera and Carly Stuart of Westfield.  Barb was preceded in death by her husband William (Bill) Sampson and her parents. 

Born and raised in Home Place, Indiana, Barb attended Clay Center School and was part of the first class to graduate from the new Carmel High School in 1959. During her time in high school, Barb was a CHS cheerleader and a member of Sunshine Club, 4-H, National Honor Society, and Methodist Youth Fellowship. She was an excellent typist and set the record for shorthand at 100 words per minute and typewriting at 57 words per minute and worked in the Dean’s Office. While a student at Indiana Central Business College, Barb was asked to teach the shorthand class for the semester when the teacher took a leave of absence.  Needless to say, Barb graduated with honors and her love of teaching was born!

Barb worked as the Executive Secretary to the President of Schoolcraft, Inc. and then went on to serve as the Executive Secretary to Director of the Indianapolis Marion-County Building Authority where she met her future husband, Bill Sampson.  It wasn’t quite love at first sight when Bill rushed in late for his interview at the City-County Building (nine speeding tickets in hand) and ran right into Barb, the gatekeeper for the interview.   When Bill landed the job of Operations Director anyway, the two worked closely together, reporting to the same boss, and decided to call a truce. On May 7, 1967, Bill and Barb became the first couple to be married at the new Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church in Home Place, Indiana.

After Shannon was born in 1974, the couple moved to the “country” in Westfield, Indiana where they built their home and their lives together. Barb was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Westfield, Indiana where she taught Sunday School, led VBS, worked fish fries and elephant ear booths, and of course, taught thousands of children in the preschool over her 39-year career. Barb studied early childhood education at Marian College and served as the Director of CUMC Preschool until her retirement in 2016.  She loved reading, playing, singing, crafting, going on field trips to Stuckey Farms and the Indy Zoo, performing as Chef Combo to teach good nutrition, and crafting the perfect handmade gifts and themed Mother’s Teas, Dad’s Days, Open Houses and Preschool Sings. Her quick wit, warm smile, playful attitude and love of learning made her the perfect first friend to so many little ones who trustingly took her hand on that first day of preschool.

Barb was a dedicated and loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.  She was a voracious reader, and generous and thoughtful giver who shared her love of learning and creativity with her daughter and grandkids. She spent her free time driving “Mom’s taxi” to take Shannon and her friends on many adventures, sports practices and activities in her prized baby blue 1967 Chevy Nova SS.  She was a proud Brownie and Girl Scout Leader for Troop 199, a sponsor to the WMS cheerleading team, a Westfield PTO volunteer and past-president, and gave her time, talents, and money to support kids, families and animals in need.  She loved God and her pets, fed the birds and the wildlife, and helped organize and contribute to scholarship funds at CUMC Preschool and the Westfield Education Foundation. She loved games like euchre, crosswords, Tripoley, and fishing and once held the record for the largest Muskie caught by a woman in Minnesota. Above all, she loved her family, and was the biggest fan and cheerleader to her community, daughter and grandkids in music, art, sports and life  - Go CHS Greyhounds, WHS Shamrocks, Berklee Jazz Cats, Marian Knights, UIndy Greyhounds and Indianapolis Colts, Pacers and Indians!

Please join us in celebrating Barb’s amazing life at Randall and Roberts Funeral Center at 1685 Westfield Road in Noblesville, Indiana with visitation on Saturday, August 26 from 2pm-5pm and from 1pm-2pm Sunday, August 27.  Funeral services will begin at 2:00pm at the funeral home, and graveside services will immediately follow in Oaklawn Memorial Gardens.

Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be sent to either:

- the Liberty Acres United Rescue Animal Sanctuary, 3546 East Mitchell Road, Liberty, Indiana 47353 (https://libertyacresunited.com/) to support senior, hospice and special needs rescued pets and farm animals in Indiana; or

- the newly-established William and Barbara Sampson Family Scholarship through the Westfield Education Foundation, 19500 Tomlinson Road, Suite B, Westfield, Indiana 46074 (https://www.wwswef.org/williamandbarbarasampson) to support the secondary education of Westfield students in early childhood education, not-for-profit leadership or civil and social services.

To share your fond memories and stories of Barb or make contributions to the above causes, please see:  www.randallroberts.com.