Mary Samp

1920 - 2017

Mary Abbott Samp, a 70-year resident of Cambridge and long-time civic activist, died in Cambridge on June 19 at age 96. For the past 14 years, she lived at Youville House, where she served unofficially as the head of the welcoming committee for new residents at that senior-citizen facility. A memorial gathering to remember Mary will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 29 at Youville House, 1573 Cambridge St. Among Marys many contributions to the local community was the founding of Cambridge School Volunteers in 1966. That organization, for which she served as the first President, now has a professional staff of 14 and is responsible for placing about 900 tutors and mentors in Cambridge schools each year. Other volunteer positions Mary held during her many decades of community involvement included President of the Peabody School PTA, President of the Cambridge Council of PTAs, and board member of the Girl Scouts of Cambridge, Cambridge-Somerville Elder Services, and the Cambridge Homes. Mary was also involved in numerous political activities; for many years, she headed the Cambridge Civic Associations School Affairs Committee. Mary was born on September 16, 1920 in Portland, Maine, the daughter of Chester and Olive (Barnes) Abbott. She graduated from Winsor School in Boston and Smith Collegewhere she attended her 75th reunion last year. She and her husband, Edward J. Samp Jr. (for 30 years a Cambridge Election Commissioner), moved to Cambridge in 1947, where they raised their five children. They were married for 61 years before his death in 2007. Mary worked for many years as Business Manager for Baker Library at Harvard Business School. She retired in 1980. Following her retirement, she attended the UMass Boston graduate Gerentology program and began a second career supporting elder services in Greater Boston. Mary is survived by her five children: Edward III (and wife Kathleen) of Wayland, John (and wife Lyn) of Westwood, Eric (and wife Cushing) of Saco, Maine, Richard (and wife Jo Ella) of Arlington, Virginia, and Margaret of Cambridge; and five grandchildren: Mary Abbott of London; Caroline, Jenni, and Edward IV of Boston; and Luci of New Brunswick, New Jersey. Another grandchild, Peter, predeceased her.