Jean Louise Sampson

Jean Louise (Tallman) Sampson, a longtime resident of North Easton, died peacefully on Nov. 14 in Brockton after battling the COVID-19 coronavirus. She was 79. A beloved grandmother to her Thomas and Matthew, devoted mother of Rebecca, sister of Carol and a cherished aunt to numerous nieces and nephews, she was a talented artist who lived a life committed to discovering and sharing beauty in the world. Born in Worcester on June 11, 1941, she was a daughter of the late Gladys and John Tallman. She graduated from East Bridgewater High School in 1958 and earned a degree from Massachusetts College of Art, which launched into a lifelong passion as a painter, woodworker and skilled artist. For nearly three decades, she passed on her love of art to students as a teacher at North Junior High School in Brockton. In 1982, she met a widower, Donald W. Sampson, and his young daughter, Rebecca, and soon moved into their hearts. She and Don married on Feb. 18, 1983, and she threw herself into motherhood. She retired from teaching to serve as Don's caretaker for several years as he battled brain cancer before his death in 1989. Jean and Becky built a new life together in North Easton as she became her daughter's biggest champion, and dove into her love for handmade art and antiques. There were few projects she could not tackle, from fully restoring her 19th century home to building furniture and collecting a vast array of carved birds, folk art and vintage signs. Her third career began with the arrival of her two grandsons, who were born in Scotland. With no experience in caring for infants and afraid to fly, she twice traveled to Edinburgh to care for the young boys for months on end, forging a deep and affectionate relationship with the two boys and her new extended family in Scotland. Jean especially adored her son-in-law, Alastair, schooling him in the finer points of saws and woodworking, cutting down trees, and enjoying a cold homemade beer. She continued to dote on her grandsons, teaching them to fish, how to tend to an ever-expanding garden and treating them to her world-renown pancakes. She was known for arriving unannounced with a delivery of lobster rolls, a treasure found at an antique show or a handcrafted Christmas ornament. One of her last acts was to cast a vote for Joe Biden, in hopes that he could gain control over the COVID-19 pandemic that ultimately claimed her life. She is survived by a sister, Carol Nye of Marion, Mass.; daughter Rebecca Howie and son-in-law Alastair Howie of Brookline, N.H.; grandsons Thomas Howie and Matthew Howie; several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Interment will be at Pine Hill Cemetery in West Bridgewater, in spring 2021, when conditions are safe to allow the large crowd of family and friends to celebrate her amazing life and generous heart. Jean's family wishes to thank the amazing team of nurses and doctors at Brockton Hospital who diligently cared for her as she battled the virus, and found ways for her to connect remotely with her family from the intensive care unit. In lieu of flowers, Jean's family asks that you wear a mask, follow social distancing and stay safe during this pandemic. And to remember St. Paul's promise that "neither death, nor life ... nor heights, nor depths, nor anything else in all Creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus."