In Memory of a Man of Steel

He welded metal art AND worked with steel:

Published in the Charleston Daily Mail, June 7, 1972.

--Your Blog Mistress was unable to obtain from Newspapers.com
or Newspaperarchive the continued story from "Page 1-D" of Mrs.
Wilma Higginbotham. The digitized pages went from pages 11-C
to 3-D--omitting 1-D. Pity!



Obituary of Donald Lindbergh Samples (1928-2019)

          On Thursday, October 3, 2019, Donald Lindbergh Samples, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, hero, best friend, supporter, overcomer, and rock to many, passed away at the age of 91. He lived most of his life in Procious, WV. Born May 17, 1928, he was a Navy Veteran, a 32nd degree Mason (Clay County Lodge #97 AF&AM), VFW Post 10476, and American Legion Post 0113. 

          He had many jobs over the years including Dupont, Pipelining, Coal Mining, Kroger, Chevrolet Truck division in Cleveland, Ohio, (making 1200 left truck fenders a day), Freuhauf Trailer in Elyria, Ohio, Cadillac Cleveland Tank plant; where he completed welding school was assigned to the turret division, back to Dupont in 1952, then in 1953 driving a bus in Columbus, Ohio. From there, he got a job as a welder making coal mining equipment and over the next seven years, was promoted to time and standards engineer. He took classes at The Ohio State University, College of Engineering in Welding Engineering, then took a job with North American Aviation, making Navy Jet Fighters. Then 10 years at Clendenin Lumber, promoted to VP, later he started politics and commercial businesses in Clay County: Samples Market and Samples Building Supply, 12 years as Clay County Commissioner. After earning a "University of Hard Knocks" degree from Jim Comstock and Alderson Broaddus, he earned a Regents Bachelor of Arts from Glenville State College in 1980. In 1988, he accepted the position as Supervisor of Clay County DOH, and finally in 1991 he took the camp manager position at the Advent Christian Camp Ground in Santa Cruz, California.

          He loved to travel and visited several countries in Europe and completed a goal of visiting all 50 of the United States. In keeping with his favorite, and most-known, piece of wisdom and advice passed down to all who loved him was "fake it till you make it," and he certainly made it.

          He had a passion for creating welded metal art sculptures for friends and family. He had an amazing ability to see a pile of scrap metal as people, horses, dogs, flowers, bugs, dinosaurs and more. These sculptures are sprinkled about all over the country and are prized possessions to those friends and family members.

          Preceded in death by parents Jake (1941) and Eva Samples (1997); his first wife of 58 years, Nora "Carmin" Samples (2006); his daughter, Vicki Paxton Samples (1995); sister, Violet Claire Wyche (2010); and brothers, "Boy Roy" (Tony) Samples (2019), Dickie (1971) and Mark (1932).

          He is survived by his Bride, Judy Samples; his sisters, Phillis Joy Samples, Garnet Kay "Katie" Khan, and Sherry Bassy; daughter, Vivian, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

          No services are planned, per his wishes.


From the Charleston Daily Mail, June 17, 1975, page 6.

Arbogast Articles From A Charleston Paper

Sandy has pulled articles from either the Charleston Daily Mail or the Gazette which you may find interesting. There is a January 1974 article (with photo) about Belle Arbogast and her educational prowess. There is a 1972 write-up of the first Elk View Junior High Championship Track Team which included Barry Arbogast!

Verba Arbogast--with granddaughter Betsy Samples, appear in a March 1964 article about her many readings of the Bible. We wish that the copy from Newspapers.com was clearer. 

Finally, an Arbogast from the 1930s who was something of an entrepreneur. (We know of no relation to him). 









Update:  The Charleston Daily Mail paper on p.1-B had this big 'ole picture of Barry on January 26, 1974: