Kathryn Mae Samson

Kathryn Mae Samson, the daughter of John and Sarah (Van Peursem) Henken, was born Feb. 16, 1929, on a farm northwest of Prairie City. When Kathryn was three days old, her mother passed away. She went to live with and was raised by her Grandma Van Peursem. Kathryn graduated from the Prairie City High School with the class of 1947.

On July 21, 1949, Kathryn was united in marriage with Art Samson at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City. Kathryn loved caring for her family. She played the organ in the Prairie City First Reformed Church and the Newton Christian Reformed Church from 1947 to 2005. She was a member of the Mount Hope Homemakers Club, the Mary-Martha Circle and the Tops Club. She enjoyed gardening, baking, cooking and pizza on Saturday nights.

Kathryn died Sept. 17, 2015, at Newton Healthcare Center. She was 86 years old. Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents; her step mother, Henrietta; and two grandchildren, Timothy James Samson and Tina LaVonne Samson.

Those left to honor Kathryn’s memory include her husband of 66 years, Art Samson of Reasnor; her children, Jim (Betty) Samson, Kathy (Tuck) Engle, Ruth Mouchka, Craig (Lori) Samson and David (Mindy) Samson; her grandchildren, Teresa Samson, Tami (Marc) Bushore, Tiffani (Jeremy) Heaberlin, Jonathan Samson, James (Christina) Samson, DeAnn Engle, Danny (Amy) Engle, Doug (Jennifer) Engle, Jessica Mouchka, Matthew Samson, Kristin Samson, David Samson, Danielle Samson and Bailee Samson; her great-grandchildren, Kylie Samson, Carson Slusser, Hannah Heaberlin, Estelle and Margaret Samson, Malloy (Tanner) Nearmyer, Marcus and Marshall Maple, Elise and Gus Engle and Tucker Engle; her great-great-grandson, Brantley Nearmyer; her step-sister, Anna Mae Steenhoek; her good friend and roommate at Newton Healthcare, Gladys Arlt.

A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21 at the Pence Reese Funeral Home in Newton. Visitation with the family will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton. Memorials may be designated to the Mary-Martha Circle at Newton Christian Reformed Church or to Cary Christian Conference Center in Cary, Miss., and may be left at the funeral home.