Samantha Breneisen

Mrs. Samantha Breneisen, 54, of Ellijay, passed away surrounded by her family Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.

She was raised in Cornwall, England, until she fell in love with Matthew Breneisen when she was 23 years old and started her new life. That new life eventually landed her in the Blue Ridge Mountains where she loved to listen and watch the many birds that populate these mountains.

Along the way she raised her two children, Nathan and Emma, with a loving hand. She was generous almost to a fault, and everyone who knew her was better for it, but her real soft spot was for animals, of all kinds.

She had a laugh that made everyone else laugh, she was ethereal. Many of those laughs came from jokes she would make that emulated her family's dark sense of humor; she was always brightening up the room. Her love of horses, which she rode her whole life, was passed on to her daughter who will carry her love for horses forever and always.

She was an artist, cross-stitching, painting and drawing were the ways she communicated her passions for nature, animals and love, she passed this talent down to her son, who will continue to create with her in mind.

She stayed connected to her English heritage through becoming best friends with her mum, Ann Pateman. They spent hours chatting about and watching silly British shows, their favorite past-time. Everyone's favorite person in the world, she is forever loved and missed.

She is survived by husband, Matthew E. Breneisen; son, Nathan George Breneisen; daughter, Emma Louise Breneisen; mum, Ann Pateman; brother, Paul Pateman, of England; sisters-in-law, Kim Breneisen, of Wentzville, Mo., Amy Pealer (Craig), of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Clare Woodman, of Maine; brother-in-law, Eddie Breneisen (Pam), of Pennsylvania; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life was held Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, from the chapel of Bernhardt Funeral Home with birthday sister Monica Poole speaking.

Donations can be made to Mercy Full Project of Tampa, Fla., at mercyfullprojects.org or to Ellijay Paws at ellijaypaws.org, in memory of Samantha Breneisen.

Bernhardt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.