Jessie (Sampleton) Mayberry

Jessie Sampleton Mayberry, 104, of Hewitt, McLeanna County, Texas, began her new life in Glory on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, departing this old world.

She was the youngest of five children born in Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas, to the union of Willie Gus “Bill” and Violet Steemer Sampleton.

Jessie attended Brasco Elementary School at Peach Creek, Texas, Newtonville Elementary School in Waelder Gonzales County, Mount Eden High School (10) in the Hixon, Texas Community, and Edward High School in Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas, where she received her high school diploma.

She married Vanique Mayberry, son of Gerald and Frankie Wilson Mayberry, on November 11, 1941. They were married for 57 years until Vanique’s home going on November 23, 1998. Eight children were born to this union, Vanney, Erna, Eddie, Iris, Julia, Mary, Joyce, and Delouis. The family resided in Gonzales, Texas, where they attended the Saint. James Baptist Church until they relocated to Amarillo, Texas in 1951, residing in the North Heights and Hilltop neighborhoods. Jessie Mayberry and her family worshipped at the Jenkins Chapel Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas, for over 60 years. All of her children graduated from Amarillo Public Schools and received undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Jessie was affectionately called Mama, Sista Jessie, Miss Jessie, Granny, Great Granny, Great-Great Granny, Aunt Jessie, Cousin Jessie, and Montee. She could boast at being a great homemaker, an avid seamstress, a consummate Bible scholar, and an excellent cook. These same skills transferred over to her occupations in Food Service for Amarillo Public Schools and in the Alterations Department with Blackburn Brothers. She taught Sunday School until 2017, when her sight began to fail. Though visually impaired, she would find a bright light and spend hours of her days in Bible Study and reading. She possessed an insatiable thirst for knowledge and would spend her time working word puzzles, studying the Bible, reading novels, medical books, and practically anything printed that her hands could touch. She did not shy away from technology and had become quite adept in using her cell phone that she acquired at the age of 95. She referred to it as her “cellular phone” and understood the assignment if you told her to “swipe right or left” on a tablet or iPad.

Jessie was also a teacher of the arts. She instilled a love of music and singing in her children. She used her musical talents to teach piano to her children, and she served as the musician for the Mission Choir at Jenkins Chapel Baptist Church and President of the Senior Choir. Her favorite songs were meaningful: “Let Jesus Fix It For You,” “I am Glad,” “Yes, Jesus Loves Me,” and “See How the Lord Has Kept Me!” She also served in the Sunday School and Baptist Training Union.

Throughout the years, she taught and poured out her “pearls of wisdom” to not only her children and their offspring but to a bounty of other relatives, friends, and clergy. In 2015, she relocated to Hewitt, Texas, to live under the loving care of her eldest daughter, Erna. Mrs. Mayberry worshipped with the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and was known for her congenial, sweet spirit and Biblical knowledge. She was honored as the oldest mother of the church and was honored with other senior members of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church during the church’s anniversary celebrations.

She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings, Willie Gus Sampleton, Jr., Jerleener Sampleton Mayberry, Lessie Sampleton Mitchell, and Nora Sampleton Livingston, her youngest child, Delouis Mayberry Abrams, grandchildren, Nika Luttrell Washington, Vanessa Elaine Mayberry, and Brandon Mayberry, great-great grandchild, David Immanuel Watkins, daughter-in-law, Daisy Mayberry, and son-in-law, Billy Ray Gill.

Jessie leaves behind to cherish her memory, her children and their spouses, Vanney (Daisy) Mayberry, of San Bernardino, California, Erna (Winfred) Watkins of Hewitt, Texas, Eddie (Lynda) Mayberry, of Dallas, Texas, Iris (Billy) Gill, of Carson, California, Julia (Peter) Gold, of Grand Prairie, Texas, Mary (John) Washington of Dallas, Texas, and Joyce (Harvey) Gooden of Amarillo, Texas, eleven grandchildren, Sharon (Michael) Jones, Terrance Gill, Lawrence Mayberry, Andrea Hall, Keshia (Brandon) Mayberry, Kimberly (Vincent) Bryant, André (Kim) Watkins, Celeste (Kerri) Marshall, Somer Washington, Kendra (Jason) Hamilton, and Jessiá (Aaron) Howard, eighteen great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn Jones, Elliott Jones, Elijah Franklin, Zechariah Franklin, Tiana Mayberry, Chasity Mayberry, Eva Dittmar, Malakai Dittmar, Kyra Bryant, Violet Bryant, Shawn Watkins, Andréa Watkins, Julian Watkins, Jaden Marshall, Kyle Hamilton, Jase, Jackson, and Jay Dee Howard, five great-great-grandchildren, Braeden Watkins, Teegan Watkins, Ari’yale Watkins, Grayson Watkins, and Kaliyah Watkins, extended family member, Stacey Watkins, devoted friends, Lillie P. Miller, Rose Pounders, Sharon Shields, Carla Shields, Lilla Benson, Vesta Hawthorne, Myretha Gadlin, Mary Wright, and Rita Roberts, the O. P. McCarthy Sunday School class of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

Please sign the On-Line Guest Book and view Mrs. Jessie Mayberry’s obituary at www.warfordmortuary.com