Samantha LeSean Owens

Samantha Owens was a devoted sister, aunt, niece and friend. She departed this world on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, surrounded by her family at Memorial Hospital.

Samantha was born on Monday, January 1st, 1979, to the union of Sammy and Sherline Owens. She was the first baby of the year born at Memorial Hospital; she was featured in an article in the South Bend Tribune announcing her arrival! She was the youngest of four siblings and truly had a heart of gold.

Samantha was educated in the South Bend Community School Corporation where she attended Kennedy Elementary, Dickinson Middle and LaSalle High Schools. She went on to become Manager of Popeyes Chicken and also spent several years as the live-in caregiver for her mother, Sherline Owens, who departed this life on March 21, 2022. Samantha was also a very good hairdresser.

Samantha didn't have any children of her own, but she helped raise many of her nieces & nephews, great nieces and little cousins. She took extreme pride in loving and caring for her great niece, Amaya Leigh. Amaya was truly the love of Samantha's life. You could often times find Amaya with Samantha and Chocolate having sleepovers. Every holiday or family function we were guaranteed to be greeted with a grand entrance by Samantha yelling out the nicknames she had given everyone. A family woman to her core. Holidays, family gatherings, and celebrations were times Samantha enjoyed and cherished.

Along with her mother, Sherline Owens, Samantha was also preceded in death by her father, Sammy Lee Owens; her maternal grandparents, Jessie and Icylee Lottie paternal grandparents Robert and Wille Bea Owens; a brother, Clarence Darnell Martin, and a nephew, Joshua Lottie. She leaves to cherish her loving memories, three siblings, Jimmie Lottie and Tammeka Smith of South Bend, Indiana and Letha Gantt of Atlanta, Geogia; special cousins LaSonja Hampton and Daniell Clark of Cleveland, Ohio; Kyra Bowerman and Kandace Jones of Indianapolis, Indiana and Chanon Harrison also of Atlanta; a very special aunt and uncle that she has spent the last three years with, Jacqueline and Wayne (Dion) Martin; all of her nieces and nephews, Brittney Lottie, Aman da Williams, Jacob Lottie, Dominique Saxon, Jammie Lottie, Jasmine Lottie (1), Malaysia Lottie, Kiishawn Lottie, Zion Joy Lottie and Jasmine Lottie (2), Andre Martin, Ja'Breeh Martin, Fallon Martin, Keyontae Martin, Kameron Martin, Shamarr Martin, Tamaya Lester, Ralphie Smith, Raven Smith, Sammy Gooden, Nevaeh Gantt, Tyrell Gantt and Tyrek Gantt; her very special great niece, Amaya Leigh Young, as well as along with many other cousins, family members and friends. Samantha was loved by so many. She was the baby girl of the family. She was a fierce protector of all who she loved! Samantha's memories will live on in our hearts forever. Although her time here on Earth was short, she left each of us with a piece of her to carry forward.