FOUNTAIN — Samantha Jo “Sammie” Hays, 30, of Fountain, was called home to be with her Lord and Savior Tuesday, April 14, 2009.
Sammie was born on Feb. 7, 1979 in Ironton to Dennis “Jerry” and Linda (Bennett) Miller, and graduated from Symmes Valley High School in Ironton with the class of 1997. On Dec. 31, 1999 she married Michael Hays at his grandfather’s home overlooking Gun Lake in Fountain.
Samantha worked as a medical assistant in the FastER Track unit at Memorial Medical Center in Ludington, and she and Michael recently moved into her dream home, a horse ranch in Fountain. Sammie enjoyed camping, fishing, and shopping, but loved horseback riding with friends and family. She rode countless miles as often as she could. She enjoyed being outdoors and was always up for adventure. She loved to go fishing with Michael and her twins, and there was never a better time for her to catch with her sisters and nieces than on a shopping trip. For this spirited young woman, there were no strangers, only friends she had not yet met. Everyone who knew her will remember her warm, welcoming smile, her bouncy step and the way she embraced her life and the people in it, each and every day of her life. Samantha was a big advocate for Gift of Life, and was able to fulfill her wish of donating her organs to help others live.
Sammie was preceded in death by her father Jerry in 1997; and her sister.
She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 10 years Michael; her twin son and daughter, Brody and Abby; her mother, Linda Miller of Wilmington; her brother, Steve (Laura) Miller of Greensboro, N.C.; her sisters, Cindi (Roger) Lehrbass of Custer, and Jill (Jeff) Roach of Ironton; Mike’s father and mother, Richard and Susan Hays of Fountain; Mike’s sister, Sheri (J.P.) Howe of Custer; Mike’s grandfather, Dalton Holt of Fountain; her niece and dear friend, Annelise Gauther of Fountain; and many other wonderful nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life service was conducted for Sammie at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 17 at Our Savior Lutheran Church with her pastor, the Rev. James Schroeder officiating. Burial took place at Bachelor Cemetery in Fountain. Friends met with her family for a time of visitation on Friday at the church from 10 a.m. until time of services.. Please visit Sammie’s personal memory page at www.stephensfuneralhome.net to read her complete life story, sign her guestbook, or to leave a memory of Sammie for her family.