Obituary of Mary Bernadette Sampson

Mary “Bernadette” Sampson It is with broken hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of our dear mother and Mama, Mary Bernadette Sampson on October 30, 2020 at the Victoria General Hospital, Halifax. Bernadette was born January 8, 1942 in Louisdale to the late Mary and Arthur Landry. On October 8, 1960 she married her true love Anthony (Tony) Sampson. Together they raised three children and provided them with a loving home while instilling in each of them the importance of hard work, taking care of family and being honest and respectful to others. Happy times were spent with family and friends at the cottage – a special place Bernadette loved and enjoyed entertaining large gatherings and preparing an abundance of food. Good times with lots of laughter were had by all especially when playing cards, her favourite being rummoli. Bernadette also loved her weekly Monday night bingos in Louisdale. But life was not without its heartaches – Bernadette saw the loss of her son at a young age as a result of an industrial accident, then the loss of her dear mother and then later the loss of her loving husband Tony, whom she cared for during his lengthy illness. But that is who our Mama, Berg, Tante Berg was – a loving caregiver and loyal friend. She always put the needs of others before her own, ensuring we were all taken care of. She faced her diagnosis and illness courageously, with patience and never voiced complaints. Even though she was not able to eat, she unselfishly stated that it gave her pleasure knowing others enjoyed their meals. It was her strong faith in God and belief in the power of prayer that gave her the strength through her difficult journey in the last 7 months. Closest to her heart were her children and especially her grandchildren. She was so proud of each one and their accomplishments. She never let them leave without giving a hug and saying, “Love You”. Her pride and joy was her first great granddaughter – Emilia and Mama were blessed to have had 2 months together. Bernadette and her siblings were a very close family. They never had a day without a shared phone call and most evenings they gathered together to chat. She was often their chauffeur for any outing or appointments. A day at the cottage with her sisters often resulted in a multitude of baked goods, fresh preserves or pickles. Her cinnamon rolls were second to none and she always ensured her children had a constant supply of double jam cookies and biscuits. Bernadette was a valued volunteer in the community. She was an active member of the Fleur de Lis Seniors Club, a member of the Ladies Auxiliary Fire Department, a member of the Senior Advisory Board of the Strait Richmond Hospital and a former member of the CWL of Louisdale. She will be deeply missed by us all but our beautiful, heartfelt memories of her will remain with us forever. She is survived by her daughter Gail (Don) Marchand and son Dion (Lynn) Sampson, grandchildren Hillary (Evan) Oakley, Carmen Marchand (Jordan Morellato), Marley and Todd Sampson, great granddaughter Emilia Oakley, sisters Theresa Cogswell, Eileen (Narcisse) Landry, Eva (Cletus) Landry, brother Rudolph (Jean) Landry, special niece Dianne Boudreau, sister-in-law Eileen (Austin) Morgan and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Tony, son Glen, brothers Johnnie and Arthur (Tattoo) and brother-in-law Dave Cogswell. Visitation will be held 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm Tuesday November 3 in the the C.H. Boudreau Funeral Home, Arichat. Visitors are required to follow social distancing protocols and masks are mandatory. Funeral mass will be held 11 am Wednesday November 4 in the St. Louis Church, Louisdale with Reverend Duncan MacIsaac presiding, with burial to follow in the parish cemetery. In Memoriam, donations to the Strait Richmond Hospital Building Fund or charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to C.H. Boudreau Funeral Home in Arichat. To send words of comfort to the family or to light a candle in memory of Bernadette, please visit www.chboudreau.com