REVA SAMPLE

Reva Niswonger Sample, 95, a Bollinger County native who had lived in Cape Girardeau for nearly 40 years, died at 12:01 a.m., Saturday, November 27, 1999, at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She lived alone, drove her car and led an active life until several weeks ago, but suffered complications from a recent fall after hip surgery.

Reva Genora Niswonger was born on Dec. 13, 1903, on a family farm near Patton. She was the 11th child born to David Benton Niswonger and Corlee Roberts Niswonger. She attended the North Patton School for several years. Music lessons at an early age kindled a lifelong interest in playing the piano and organ. For many years she was the organist at Post Oak Church near Patton.

On Dec. 14, 1921, she was married to William R. Sample at the Perry County Courthouse. Mr. Sample died on March 5, 1984.

After 40 years on their farm between Patton and Sedgewickville where they raised five children the Samples moved to Cape Girardeau in the early 1960s. They rented rooms in their home and in an adjoining house to students at Southeast Missouri University, maintaining close relationships with several of their youthful tenants in later years.

Mrs. Sample continued her life-long interest in gardening after moving off the farm. Her huge vegetable garden and canning/freezing operation annually filled several freezers and shelves in the Sample basement. Not long ago, as she tended her vegetables, she remarked that if a passing jogger "really wanted some exercise, she'd come help with this garden."She was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church and the White Shrine of the Order of Eastern Star. She also was active in the Fort D and West Side senior citizen groups. Her love of travel to visit her children and grandchildren earned her participation in airline "frequent flyer" programs. She traveled by plane, bus and auto until just a few months ago.

Mrs. Sample, whose life spanned an awesome array of modern developments, once recalled the first automobile she saw when she was about 10 years old. "I yelled at my mother that there was somethin' comin' down the road and no horses pullin' it."She loved to do needlework and made quilts for her children, 17 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her five children: Marjorie Swan, whose late husbands were Denver Loberg and Norman Swan, of Pocahontas, Mo.; C.E.. (Gene) Sample and his wife, Ruth, Cape Girardeau; George Sample and his wife, Jackie, Charleston, S.C.; Shirley Young and her husband, Lloyd, Scott City; and Roger Sample and his wife, Maria, also of Charleston, S.C.; one foster son, Jim Koetting, and his wife Nancy, Fulton, Mo.; 17 grandchildren, Vida Loberg Stanard, Tina Loberg Druckenmiller, Norman R. "Sam" Swan Jr., Reginald Swan, Nina Swan-Kohler, Susan Sample Vincel, Richard L. Young, Nancy Sample Niswonger, Barbara Sample Kinney, Devon Young, Sandy Sample Smith, Alicia Sample, Michelle Sample Bowman, Karen Sample, Julie Sample, Lisa Sample, and Alicia Koetting; 23 great-grandchildren, Richard Druckenmiller, David Druckenmiller, Elizabeth Druckenmiller, Michael Stanard, Christina Stanard Vogel, Regan Swan, Maria Swan, Leslie Swan, Nicholas Swan, Amber Niswonger, Andrea Niswonger, Crystal Morton, David Young, Cameron Young, Anastasia Young, Marissa Smith, Meagan Smith, Maria Smith, Shawn Smith, Lora Kinney, Nichelle Kinney, Madison Bowman and Audrey Bowman; and three great-great-grandchildren, Conner Druckenmiller, Hope Druckenmiller and Will Vogel.

A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 29 at Grace United Methodist Church with the Ford and Sons Chapel on Mount Auburn Road in charge. Officiating will be the Rev. Larry Gallamore. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery. Grave-side rite by the Rev. Albert Nyland. Pallbearers will be grandsons and great-grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be Ed Ringwald, Lloyd Young, Paul Barks, O.D. Niswonger, Charles Ross, Jim Ross, Herb Sanders and George Vernon, Ivan Niswonger and Floyd Niswonger.

Visitation will be at the Ford and Sons Mount Auburn chapel from 4 to 8 p.m. today, Sunday, Nov. 28.

The family has requested that memorials be in the form of donations to Grace United Methodist Church.