Allen Sampson

On October 19, 2026, Allen Arden Sampson passed away peacefully at home at the age of 86. He was surrounded by his beloved sweetheart of 58 years, Marcia, and their eight children. Born on January 16, 1940, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Allen's life was grounded in family, service and a lifelong commitment to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His devotion to the gospel of Christ was unwavering and he found great solace in his testimony until the end.

Allen and Marcia married in 1968 in the St. George Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and together built a life filled with love, laughter, and learning. A devoted family man, Allen found immense joy in his role as a father to his eight children: Shari (Shawn) Adair, Laura (Lance) Nicholls, Debbie (Todd) Weaver, Carol (Jorge) Ramirez, Jill Sampson, Emily (Bryson) Prisbrey, Troy Sampson, and Brett (Brittany) Sampson. His legacy includes 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren who were the lights of his life. He was preceded in death by his parents, Arden and Carol Sampson, two granddaughters, Kate and Ella, and a great-grandson, William.

His family was the centerpiece of his world and Allen cherished every moment spent with them. He shared his adventurous and curious spirit with his children, sometimes whether they wanted it or not. Family vacations were often spent on camping and hiking trips, instilling in his children a deep appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of nature and the importance of working together. His insatiable curiosity led to an office packed with books, including two sets of encyclopedias and a full collection of National Geographic magazines. Allen and Marcia's home was filled with family prayer and early morning scripture study as they taught their children the faith in God and Jesus Christ that was central to their lives.

Allen's desire to serve and mentor carried over into his professional life and volunteer work. He worked in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas for 37 1/2 years where he mentored students on their educational path. After earning the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager, Allen continued leading boy scout troops throughout his adult life. He taught countless boy scouts (and his own daughters) how to camp, hike, build trails, respect nature and work hard. His love of and devotion to scouting led to him receiving the Silver Beaver Award in 1985. The Silver Beaver is awarded to scouting volunteers who perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication and many years of scouting service. Allen served an honorable mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Canada from 1960-1962. Allen served his country in the Naval Reserves from 1962-1968 and received a National Defense Service Medal and a Vietnam Service Medal (with 01 Bronze Star).

Allen's legacy is one of curiosity, kindness, respect, integrity, faith, love, humility, honor and humor, characteristics that defined him and his interactions with others. Indeed, he felt that he was blessed and highly favored.

The family invites all who knew and loved Allen to share their stories and photos on his memorial page, celebrating a life well-lived.