Darlene M. Sample

Darlene M. Sample, 70, of Carrollton, passed away Friday evening, February 28, 2020 at Mercy ICU in Canton. A daughter of the late Harold and Theresa Zwick Eye, she was born July 31, 1949 in Alliance, Ohio. Darlene was a member of the Hilliard Tractor Club and the owner and operator of Lakota Racing. Her passion was tractor pulling. She had the distinction of being the first woman to win the National Garden Tractor Pulling Championship and would win this title two times during her career. She is survived by her husband, Don Sample; a son, John (Jennifer) May of Alliance; daughter, Dawn (Jacques) Pankita of Naples, Florida; seven grandchildren, Dillon, Chloe, Corinne, Andy, Nathan, Lindsay, Vince; and six great grandchildren, Guinevere, Kinlee, Michael, Armoni, Alden, Amilliana; mother in law, Polly Sample; brothers in law, Charlie (Patty), Jimmy (Beth) and Jeff Sample; multiple nieces and nephews. Along with her parents she was preceded in death by a daughter, Lisa Went, two brothers, Denny and Donald Eye, and a sister, Deborah Santee and her nephew Clint Santee. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 3rd from 5 to 7 p.m. in Dodds Funeral Home of Carrollton. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Westview Cemetery.