Rest in Peace

James E. Samsel ("Padre")

June 24, 1930 – April 6, 2016

James E. Samsel, 85, of Raleigh, died April 6, 2016 at Transitions Life Care in Raleigh.

He was born June 24, 1930 a son of the late Daniel Maurice and Ethel Shaw Samsel in Rockford, IL. He grew up in Mt. Morris, IL, a community founded by members of The Church of the Brethren from western Maryland and Pennsylvania. He was Captain of his high school football team during his senior year. Jim attended Notre Dame University for one year where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity. Jim then transferred to Monmouth College where he played football and was very active in Greek Life. Feeling the need to defend his country, Jim enlisted in the Navy and trained in San Diego where he was assigned to a destroyer escort where he served for more than four years. His destroyer escort was the main electrical supply for a fighting Marine force, and his ship took fire multiple times from enemies in the high mountains of Korea.

After leaving the military, Jim earned two B.S. Degrees, Electrical Engineering and Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder. To support his growing family Jim worked on the Nike Missile as a military contractor before returning to UC-Boulder earning his Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. Jim worked for Western Electric now known as Lucent Industries in Winston-Salem, NC. There he was offered the rare opportunity to further his training in the Shetland Islands, but chose to remain with his family. He joined General Electric in Massachusetts, later Henderson, NC and finally to his home state in Bloomington, Illinois and finished his career in engineering. Jim was married to Melinda Cameron Fox on November 10, 1956 and was married for 37 years prior to her passing. After retirement, Jim moved to Raleigh and put his business training into action, co-founding a residential cleaning business, Maids-In-Waiting with his wife and partner Melinda. Jim retired from his second career in 1998.

Jim was a very talented musician, participating in two Highland Pipe bands, The Morton Highlanders Pipe Band in Peoria, IL and the NC State Pipes and Drums in Raleigh for more than 25 years. Jim and Melinda immersed themselves in their Scottish heritage, often traveling to Scotland and the Chief of Clan Cameron. They were active and served as officers in Clan Shaw, Clan Cameron, and other Scottish organizations. Jim was a member of the St. Andrews Society of North Carolina, twice serving on the Board of Directors. He was a lifetime member of VFW post 7383 in Cary, NC and served six years as chaplain. He was also an active member of the Cary American Legion Post 67. Jim served as a volunteer at Church of the Good Shepherd Soup Kitchen for more than 25 years and served as the Tuesday afternoon volunteer for many years. Jim was also an active volunteer for Meals on Wheels in Raleigh.

Jim is survived by Martha Anne Roberts, whom he married on June 10, 2000. He is also survived by his children, Melinda Shaw Gleason (Kenneth) of Verona, WI; Patrick Cameron Samsel (Martha) of Lansing, MI, his grandchildren, all of Lansing, MI; Cameron (CJ), Elizabeth (Fiancée Jarrod Brooks) and Ian Samsel, as well as two beloved great- grandsons Zachary and Justin. He is also survived by his sister Carol Hayes ( Louis) of Missoula, MT, nephew Douglas, niece Kristin Hayes (Michael Figone) and great-niece Hayley and great-nephew Connor; sister-in-law Barbara along with nephew Mark, niece Sherry Egan, great-nephew Nathan and great-niece Taylor as well as by his step-daughter, Carlton Anne Cook Walker (Stephen) and granddaughter Anna Catherine, of Boiling Springs, PA. Jim is preceded in death by his brother, Gary Samsel of Oregon, IL.

A memorial service will be held Monday, April 11, 2016 at 11:00AM at Church of the Good Shepherd, 125 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27603. A visitation will be held 4:00-6:00 PM on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home 300 St Mary’s St, Raleigh, NC 27605.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to James E. Samsel Endowed Scholarship at Montgomery County Community College, Troy, NC.

Condolences may be sent to www.brownwynne.com.

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