Richard Lee Sampson Obituary
Richard Lee (Dick) Sampson, 88, passed away Friday, August 25, 2023, with his three daughters at his bedside. After living a long and productive life, Dick died peacefully at the Bellevue Medical Center, Bellevue, NE after a sudden illness.
On Sunday, September 17, 2023, at 1 p.m., a 'Celebration of Life' is being held in his honor at the Plattsmouth VFW. A virtual Zoom connection will be available for those unable to attend in person (details below). All who knew Dick are invited. Refreshments will be served. The family will provide a catered meal for those who RSVP by call or text (402) 512-0042.
Born in Murray, NE, on July 4, 1935, Dick grew up in Plattsmouth, NE, on a small farm off Rock Bluff Road. As the youngest of four children of Arthur and Charlotte (Porter) Sampson, Dick is preceded in death by his parents and by his son, Richard Lee Sampson ll; two brothers, Tom Sampson and James (Jim) Sampson; his only sister, Alma (Bert Sampson) Seydlitz; and his wife, Hamiyyet Sampson.
Dick's immediate family survives. His daughters are Kari (Sampson) Gray, Plattsmouth, NE; Michelle Sampson, Glenwood, IA; Richelle Sampson, San Diego, CA.; granddaughters Jessica (Brannon) Christenson and husband Michael, Neosho, MO; Jennifer Spears, and Jacquelyn Spears, Maui, HI; great-granddaughters, Amara Christenson and Adalyn Christenson, of Neosho, MO.
Nieces and nephews include Glenda Seydlitz and significant, Marlyn Buethe of Plattsmouth, NE; Marilyn (Seydlitz) Campbell and husband Lloyd of Plattsmouth, NE; Randy Seydlitz of Plattsmouth, NE; William (Bill) Sampson and wife Sandy of Plattsmouth, NE, Cyndi (Sampson) Benson and husband Larry of Bellevue, NE, Beverly (Sampson) Ervin and husband Daryl (Mouse), of Weeping Water, NE, Cheryl (Sampson) Garcia and husband Alex of Casa Grande, AZ, and Mona Ray Sampson of Seattle, Washington, plus 50 great nieces and nephews, and even more cousins.
Starting work at age 18 after high school, Dick was a tradesman. Known in Plattsmouth for his distinguished deep voice, tall stature, and friendly, easy-going nature, Dick was hardworking, kind-hearted, and honest. A social person who knew no stranger, Dick married his first love, Arlene, in 1958. Dick and Arlene had two children: a son, Richard Lee Sampson ll, and a daughter, Kari Ellen Sampson. Together, they built a home and a life in Plattsmouth and saw Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley in concert in Omaha. Dick remained a lifelong music fan of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, and Patsy Cline. Dick and Arlene divorced in 1967. A simple, unpretentious man, Dick liked to drive Cadillacs, Chevy pickups, and a purple Harley Davidson.
He loved to "shoot the breeze" with family, friends, and strangers; Dick enjoyed fishing and camping with family and friends. A man who traveled with his family, Dick was adventurous and ambitious. "I've traveled the world three times," he would say, and that he did to provide for his family.
As a union millwright from Millwrights Local #1463 in Omaha, NE., Dick was Certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to work in nuclear power plants. He was a foreman, supervisor, and superintendent in coal, nuclear, and gas-fired construction. The projects Dick worked on locally, nationally, and internationally include; Ft. Calhoun, NE; Brownsville, NE; Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas; Brownsville, TX; Gresik, Indonesia, Venezuela; and Afsin, Turkey.
In Turkey, Dick met a young, pretty receptionist named Hamiyyet, who worked at the job site. Dick and Hamiyyet, like two love-struck kids, ran off to Las Vegas in 1982 and married. Together, they made Plattsmouth home. They had two daughters, Michelle Lee Sampson and Richelle Sue Lee Sampson. Dick was a loyal man who loved his family.
After retirement from the union, Dick "couldn't just sit around." He returned to work, this time as a Plattsmouth school bus driver. He drove for ten years because he said, "I loved the little kids and all my co-workers. Driving the bus was the best job I ever had." It was there Dick met Pat, and their friendship added meaning to the last years of his life.
Dick's easy-going disposition, teasing personality, and generous, happy nature describe who he is. There was another side to Dick Sampson; he was a compassionate man who donated to causes for Native American children, Children's Hospital, local children's causes, etc. Dick would give you the shirt off his back if he knew you needed it.
A tree is being planted in his honor, and any cash gifts will be donated to the charities Dick supported.
The Zoom connection details are below.
Time: September 17, 2023, 1:00 p.m. Central Time
https://zoom.us
Meeting ID: 258 367 2273
Passcode: 2023
Or mobile tie-in
+1669.444.9171, or 258.367.2273 #,,,,*2023# US
+1669.900.9128, or 258.367.2273#,,,,*2023# US (San Jose)
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