John Leigh Sampselle, age 90, of Ann Arbor, MI passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, December 1, 2024, surrounded by the love of his family. Born in Williamson, West Virginia on November 17, 1934, John lived a full and fulfilling life defined by his dedication to family, friends, and community.
John was the son of John and Josephine Sampselle and grew up in several small towns in West Virginia where he learned to love the woods. In 1947, his dad relocated the family to Kenton, OH. John became a member of the local Scout troop, ultimately achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. During high school he was a proud member of the Barfly Five, a group of five good friends whose friendship spanned over 75 years.
John was a devoted husband; he married Carolyn McDonough in August 1969. Together they raised a family, Matthew (born in 1972) and Cathleen (born in 1974), who provided them with much joy. John and Carolyn are active members of Saint Clare’s Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor; John is past Senior Warden, served for many years on the Endowment Board, and is past President of Genesis of Ann Arbor.
John attended Miami University of Ohio and graduated from the Ohio State University. After graduation, John joined the Army Reserves. In 1958, he started his professional career working for the National Bank of Detroit before returning to school at Texas Tech to earn his MBA. He spent major portions of his career at Domino’s Pizza, Borders Books and the First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor. He particularly enjoyed the growth years at Domino’s Pizza, helping them grow from 500 to 5,000 stores, and his post-retirement time as Finance Director at First Presbyterian Church.
John was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor for 35 years. During his time working with Kiwanis, he sponsored multiple new members. The Legion of Honor and Hixson awards that he received have special places in his heart. His family is very proud of the work he did supporting Kiwanis and as well as Kiwanis’s history of supporting local charities.
John and Carolyn enthusiastically support the Haiti Nursing Foundation. For many years John served on the HNF board of directors. In 2013, he traveled to Haiti to visit the facility that educates Haitians to become nurses, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners, in order to understand their challenges firsthand.
John is survived by his loving wife, Carolyn Sampselle; his children, Matthew Sampselle (Karla Blazewicz) and Cathleen Sampselle (Daniel Ufnar), and his grandchildren, Abigail Sampselle and Emma Sampselle. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Joesphine Sampselle, and his sister Adelaide Clark.
We will dearly miss John’s warm smile and his straightforward approach to life’s challenges. He consistently brought his best efforts to bear, working to better the world; his word truly was his bond. We will think of him when the bluebirds sing.
A memorial service will be held at Saint Clare’s Episcopal Church, 2160 Packard Road, Ann Arbor on Sunday, January 19th at 1:30 p.m. In memory of John, donations may be made to The Haiti Nursing Foundation or to Kiwanis of Ann Arbor.
