Clifford Sampson, Jr.

Clifford Sylvester Sampson, Jr., eldest child of Clifford Sylvester Sampson, Sr., and Virginia May Sampson (nee Morton) sadly passed away at the age of 82, on Monday, November 18, 2024.

Clifford was born and raised in Gloucester, Massachusetts. After graduating from Wentworth Institute in Boston, Clifford came to Maryland where he had a fulfilling career in computers and technology as a civil servant for the National Security Agency and later as a contractor for Raytheon.

On December 16, 1972, Clifford married his beloved wife Barbara (nee Wille). They shared nearly 51 years of marriage before her passing in 2023. Together they lovingly raised their two adopted children, Elena and Michael. In retirement, he and Barbara took great pleasure in taking cruises together, watching sports championships, caring for their Border Collies, and just being each other’s company.

Clifford explored many pastimes throughout his life. All of which he dove into with both feet, wanting to learn everything he could about each. In his youth, he excelled in playing hockey, baseball, and football. As an adult, he developed a passion for photography, tending to his impressive vegetable garden each summer, cooking elaborate meals for company, competing in ranked chess matches, studying horse track racing, as well as listening to and collecting a wide array of music, particularly from his favorites like Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, The Rolling Stones, Artie Shaw, Billie Holiday, and Luciano Pavarotti.

He is survived by his dear Border Collie Bella, son Michael Sampson, daughter Elena Walker, grandchildren Kayla Walker, Lexi Walker, and Zac Mattingly, as well as siblings Edith Douglass, Alice Lester, Laurence Sampson, and Arthur Sampson.

He will be very missed by all those who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.