Barbara N. Sample, a retired volunteer coordinator who enjoyed photography and painting, died June 30 of cancer at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, Del. She was 67.
The daughter of Jack W. Neely, who was sales manager of the old Sun Magazine, and Phyllis Kuhn "Peggy" Neely, Barbara Lee Neely was born in Baltimore and raised in Towson.
After graduating in 1966 from St. Paul's School for Girls, Mrs. Sample began her college studies at Stratford Junior College in Danville, Va. She later transferred to what is now McDaniel College and earned a bachelor's degree in 1970.
In 1972, she married Travis Lamar Sample, who later retired as an Air Force colonel. The couple settled in Leesburg, Va., where they lived for the last 42 years.
For the last 16 years until retiring on sick leave two months ago, Mrs. Sample worked for Loudoun County as the volunteer coordinator at Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts Center in Purcellville, Va.
She also taught art history and craft classes and arranged art shows and sales at the center.
For many years, she was a volunteer at Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, which had been established in 1798 by George Carter. The historic home is now operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
She was an accomplished photographer, artist and gardener.
"She loved photography. That was her passion, and she had photographs from the 34 countries that we had visited," said her husband, who retired from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va., where he had been business department chair.
Recently, she and her husband purchased a second home in the Reddenwood community in Milford, Del.
She was a longtime active communicant of St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St., Leesburg, where a memorial service will be held at noon Saturday.
In addition to her husband of 44 years, Mrs. Sample is survived by a son, Andrew Childs Sample of Leesburg; a daughter, Jessica Sample Sevila of Herndon, Va.; and four grandchildren.