John J. Sampsel, M.D., age 90, of Miles City passed away peacefully with his wife and son Curt by his side on Saturday, September 3, 2016.
John was born on February 16, 1926 in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, the son of William H. and Marguerite (Brennan) Sampsel. He enlisted in the Army in 1945. He served in the European theatre in the 42nd Rainbow Division from shortly after D-Day through the fall of Berlin. He was wounded in Alsace France and received the Purple Heart. After the war he took pre-med at Ursinus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation he attended Thomas Jefferson Medical School also in Philadelphia. He met Helen Harris in 1949 and they were married in 1952. He interned at Misericordia Hospital in Philadelphia for two years. He did his surgical residency at Mary Hitchcock Hospital associated with Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire and did a two year cancer residency in Westfield, Massachusetts. After that, they moved to Tucson, Arizona where he was Chief of Surgery at Pima County Hospital. In 1966, they moved to Miles City where he practiced at Holy Rosary Hospital at the Garberson Clinic for fourteen years. He then practiced at the VA Hospital for the next twelve years.
John enjoyed golf, fly fishing, football, woodworking, and classical music. He was involved in the infancy of NAMI in Montana writing the state by laws and eventually became state president.
John is survived by his wife, Helen Sampsel of Miles City, MT; five children: John (Betty) Sampsel of Stanford, MT; Jeff Sampsel of Helena, MT; Robert (Maggie) Sampsel of Big Fork, MT; Curt Sampsel of Miles City, MT; and Meg Sampsel of Kalispell, MT; four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Military Graveside services will be held on Monday, September 12, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Eastern Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery in Miles City. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.
In lieu of flowers, friends may donate to a charity of one’s choice.
Service Schedule
Graveside Service with Full Military Honors
11:00 a.m.
Monday September 12, 2016
Eastern Montana Veteran Cemetery
Miles City, MT 59301
Service Schedule
Graveside Service with Full Military Honors
11:00 a.m.
Monday September 12, 2016
Eastern Montana Veteran Cemetery
Miles City, MT 59301
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Jessie and Jim Leidholt says
Dear Helen and family, Jim and I am so sorry for the loss of your dear husband and father.
Tina webb says
We are so sorry for your loss. We will miss him dearly. Prayers for you abs your family.
Denise Harvey says
To Dr. Sampsel’s family,
I wish you peace and comfort as you remember cherished times together.
Denise Oberlander Harvey
Shannon Holmen says
Ahh, I will miss him. I’m so sorry Helen/kids. Here’s to good memories. My prayers.
Vanessa James says
To The sampsel family
i will always remeber those memories of him letting us go swimming with your grandchildren..he was awonderful man always great to visit with and always opened his home to use..my prayers are with you all as you go threw this difficult time
Deb Moths Schmeling says
Dear Sampsel Family,
Sorry to hear about your loss. May God wrap His comforting arms around each one of you. Remember all the good memories. He will be missed. My prayers and thoughts are with you all.
Deb Moths Schmeling & Howard Moths
Tanna Bloxom Patt says
I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers for the family.
Rayetta Fjell says
Helen & family;
So sorry to learn of your loss. Dr was a wonderful man & Dick so enjoyed working with him during their days at the VA Hospital.
May the wonderful Memories and Joy you have shared in the many years together ~ be a comfort to you at this sad time. Peace & Love be with you. Rayetta Fjell
KAY CARLSON says
Long ago a little girl fell on the concrete by the city park. She split her knee wide open and was rushed to the emergency room. A large man, especially by little girl standards, walked in. He was so quiet and kind. Despite the nasty things he had to do to clean out my knee and stitch it up he made me feel safe. I still have that scar and when I look at it remember the kind doctor. He will be missed.
Lois Brandt says
Dear Bob, Maggie and Helen
So sorry to hear of the loss of John. He was a very kind man and will be missed by his family and his community.
Lois Brandt
David Schott and Family says
I’m very sad to hear that Dr. Sampsel has passed away. My folks enjoyed golfing and playing bridge with John and Helen over the years. I have fond memories of those times. To Helen and all of the Sampsel family, I am sorry for your loss.
Donna Sweeney says
My memories of Dr Sampsel: A well respected surgeon and a well respected gentleman.
You have my most sincere sympathy.
Cherie Le Blanc says
May you be comforted by great memories with the loss of your husband, dad, and grandad. Hugs and prayers to all of you
Hassell & Bobbi Painter says
Our thoughts and prayers for all of the family and friends of a very special man. Hassell and I both worked with Dr. Sampsel at the VA and he was always a lovely person to work with and I especially appreciated the fact that he would always take the time to chat when we interacted during work. Let your good memories sustain you.
Dave Gunderson says
My thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Sampsel family in this time of grieving.
Linda & RIchard Meidinger says
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Sampsel family.
We both knew him from Holy Rosary and Linda worked with him the years
he was a surgeon at the VA. He was such a great man to be around and to work with
or to be his patient. Always loved the way he laughed.
Suellen R. McDaniel, editor says
With deepest respect for his life and service and with condolences to his family, we remember the service of Dr. John J. Sampsel, who served in Company L, 3rd Battalion of the 42nd Infantry “Rainbow” Division in World War II and will remember him in our October 2016 issue’s WWII Memorial Listing in the Rainbow Reveille newsletter of the Rainbow Division Veterans Foundation.
Mike Miller and the Miller family says
The Miller family offers their condolences to the Sampsel family. we sure remember the many times that “Doc” saved us back in the day from all of the things that Kids do to themselves. My parents Don and Zoe are eternally grateful to all that “Doc” did back in the day. Please relive the fun times, there were so many of them.