Apr 15, 2021
Jean Barrett Sample, 89, wife of Dean F. Sample, entered into rest peacefully April 6, 2021, at home with her family by her side. The family will hold a private celebration of life at a later date.
Born to the late Mildred and Fred K. Barrett in Fredonia, N.Y., Jean lived a life that was grounded by family and faith. She graduated from Fredonia State Teachers College in 1953 with a degree in elementary education and held a long and successful career as a school teacher, bringing life to the classroom and helping her students find their voice and confidence. Her first teaching position was at Randolph Central School in New York, where she taught first grade and was delighted with her annual salary of $3,000. After teaching for more than 40 years, the last 28 in Aiken County with 5th and 6th grades, she retired but continued to substitute teach, mentor, and tutor children whenever needed. She was honored with the WJBF Golden Apple Award for her excellence in teaching and leadership in the metro Aiken-Augusta area. Ever humble of her accomplishments, however, she preferred to bask in the accomplishments of her children and her students.