Michael Samson Sainsbury

1998 - 2025

Michael Samson Sainsbury

June 10, 1998 - February 19, 2025

Captain Michael Samson "Sam" Sainsbury left this world way too early on February 19, 2025, in Wiesbaden, Germany. He was a much beloved husband, son, and brother and the spark of life to all who knew him.

Born in Charlottesville, Virginia on June 10, 1998, to an Army family, Sam grew up in Alaska, Washington DC, West Point, New York, and central Virginia.

From an early age Sam was an adventurer and risk taker. He could climb like a monkey, go higher in any tree, and swing from any rope. He loved his minibike, purple Doritos, and the Iron Giant, Castle in the Sky, and Treasure Planet. He loved being the cousin or friend who would dare to do what others could only watch in awe (or terror).

He graduated from Goochland High School in 2016 where he ran cross-country, played tennis, was a leader in the Marine Corps Junior ROTC program, and earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop 710.

Sam attended Montana State University where the real-life shaping events happened for him. He studied environmental sciences, earned a scholarship with the MSU ROTC, and met the love of his life, his future wife Aviel Lee. His other love was the breathtaking beauty of the mountains and rivers of Montana. He climbed mountains in the summer and snowboarded down them in winter.

Ever thrifty, resilient, and physically tough, Sam spent two summers working as a zipline guide in Montana, where he gladly lived in a van down by the river. Personal comfort and material possessions had little meaning to Sam.

Sam and Aviel married in November 2019 in a small ceremony in Colorado. Plans for a larger wedding were thwarted by Covid.

Sam was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army in May 2020 as an infantry officer. While at Fort Benning he completed the Army's grueling Ranger course and airborne school. Ever his equal, Aviel completed Ranger School as well.

The pair shipped out to Hawaii where Sam served in leadership positions as an infantry platoon leader and infantry Company Executive officer with the 2-27 Infantry Battalion "Wolfhounds" in the 25th Infantry Division. While in Hawaii Sam took up surfing, spear fishing, paragliding, ran a marathon, fished, hiked across smoldering lava fields, and swam with sharks. He also travelled to Japan and Vietnam and did Army missions in the Philippines and Fiji.

Sam's final assignment was with the Army's Multi-Domain Task Force in Wiesbaden, Germany, where his life tragically ended.

Sam leaves behind his wife Captain Aviel Lee of Morrison, Colorado, his parents Michael and Laura Sainsbury of Powhatan, Virginia, and his siblings Clara, Lainey, and Ethan, and his birth mother Lisa Sainsbury. He also leaves behind dozens of cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends from all over.

Sam packed more living into 26 years than most do in a lifetime. His smile, his laugh, his wit, his charm, and his never-ending sense of adventure endeared him to all who knew him. He leaves an unfillable hole in our hearts.

Sam's wake and celebration of life will be at the Woody Funeral Home, 1771 North Parham Road, Richmond, VA. Dates and times are pending. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in his name to the Glacier National Park Conservancy, https://glacier.org/preserve/.