John B. Sampson

John B. Sampson, 72, of Salamanca, NY died early Tuesday morning, January 25, 2022 at Olean General Hospital after battling both dementia and sundowners syndrome.

Born March 24, 1949 in Massillon, OH he was the son of the late Richard and Marie Riordan Sampson. He was married on May 31, 1969 at the the former St. Patrick’s RC Church to the former Vicki Jean Lowrey, who survives.

John bravely joined the United States Navy when he was a young man. He served honorably from August 1967 through February 1972, with assignments on the USS Freemont, APA44, and at the Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX as part of a joint military command. He was honorably discharged with the rank of 2nd Class Personnel Man (E5).

He made his mark as an accredited director of Veterans Affairs with the Veterans Service Office for Cattaraugus County, holding the position for 22 years.

He was a member of the American Legion Hughes-Skiba Post 535, where he held positions at National, Department, County, and Post levels. He was past-president of the NYS Veterans Service Office Association and a founder of the Cattaraugus-Allegany Joint Veterans Council volunteer-run service. He was also a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars John F. Ahrens Post 5296 and the Sons of the American Legion, and had been named to the NYS Veterans Hall of Fame by Senator Cathy Young.

Surviving besides his wife are: a daughter, Candice Joy O’Neil, Salamanca, NY; a son, Todd Richard (Denise) Sampson, Bradford, PA; three grandchildren that were his whole heart; a brother, Douglas (Sandy) Sampson, Salamanca, NY; two sisters-in-law, Carol (Terry) Miles, Hornell, NY, and Linda Wenzel, Gulfport, MS; several nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River Street, Salamanca, NY on Friday, January 28, 2022 from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m.

Funeral services will be held in the funeral home on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Michael Lonto officiating.

Full military honors will be conducted by members of the American Legion Hughes-Skiba Post 535 and Veterans of Foreign Wars John F. Ahrens Post 5296.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the American Legion Post 535 Building Fund, 67 Wildwood Avenue, Salamanca, NY 14779.

E-condolences can be sent to orourke.orourkefh@gmail.com.