Rita Michele (Benford) Sampson

Rita Michele Benford Sampson of Amarillo, Texas, passed away on Sunday, June 17, 2018, in Amarillo, Texas.

Rita Michele Benford Sampson, our beloved baby girl was born on January 20, 1966, to Clarence Benford, Jr. and Mary Louise Brooks Mason in Hobbs, New Mexico.  She obeyed the Gospel at Scharbauer Street Church of Christ in Hobbs, New Mexico at an early age.  She was a strong, caring, loving and beautiful Christian Woman who had an open heart to everyone and never turned down a stranger.

Rita attended Hobbs High School in Hobbs, New Mexico and graduated in 1984.  She continued her education and volleyball career at West Texas State University and graduated with her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1988.  She taught volleyball at Amarillo College for sixteen years and enjoyed every moment.  Rita retired on July 27, 2017 with Randall County Juvenile Probation after 25 years of service.  She started as a Child Care Worker in 1993 and was promoted to a Detention Officer in 1994.  She then transferred to the Probation Department in 1995 and was deputized by Judge Darrell Carey.  In 2008, Rita was promoted to Juvenile Probation Officer II.  In 2010 she was promoted to Juvenile Probation Officer III and in 2011, she was promoted to Juvenile Probation Officer IV.  She was also a member of the Pride of the Panhandle Golf Club (POPGC).

In 1988, Rita Michele and Larry Alexander Sampson met on the Greyhound Bus in Lubbock, Texas and it was truly love at first sight.  Rita and Larry were united in matrimony on October 15, 1994 and they shared three daughters and one son.

Rita was a wonderful wife, step-mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend.  She was a woman of ambition, determination and hope.

Rita is preceded in death by her maternal grandmother, Eula Mae Evans, paternal grandparents, Grace and Clarence Benford, Sr., her great-grandmother, Mary Lee Brooks, Aunt Joann Thomas, Aunt Clarice Finney, Aunt Novice McBroom, mother-in-law, Hazier R. Harrison, a grandson, Aun’Terian Dai’Jon Johnson, a nephew, Markus Benford and a cousin LaShakka Hooper.

She leaves to cherish her memories, her husband, Larry, three daughters, Toshiba Hereford, Christy Sampson and LaShayla Sampson and one son, Broshandrick Hereford, her father, Clarence (Victoria) Benford, Jr. and her mother, Mary Louise (Robert) Mason, of Hobbs, New Mexico, her siblings, Tony L. (Debbie) Benford of Denton, Texas, Venessa R. (Jessie) Mason of Hobbs, New Mexico, Elizabeth D. (Ronnie) Meridyth of Midland, Texas, step-brothers, Jimmy (Beverly) Benford of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Terry (Melissa) Benford, Clarence (Cynthia) Benford III, of Savannah, Georgia, Anthony Gardner of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Isaac (Tyshae) Richardson of Odessa, Texas and step-sisters, Maureen Benford of Frankford, Germany and Cassandra Richardson of Odessa, Texas, four step-children, thirteen grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, close friends Marilyn Edwards, Victoria Medley and Marilyn Jackson and co-workers of Randall County.

Please sign the On-Line Guest Book at www.warfordwalkermortuary.com