Manden Sampson

Manden L. Sampson, 97, of Watertown, formerly of Clyman, passed away on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at Marquardt Health Center.

Manden was born on October 5, 1920 in Northwood, MN the son of Henry and Inga (Ellefson) Sampson. Manden entered the United States Army during World War II as a radio operator and working a 50 Cal. Machine gun fighting in the Italian Campaign. He fought there until he was wounded while serving. After the war, Manden came back to the US and worked at the Schlitz Brewery in Milwaukee where he met and married his first wife, Alice Stibor. The two married in Milwaukee in 1947. The couple then traveled back to Elmwood, WI, where his family was living, to start their first farm. He then moved to Goerke’s Corner in Waukesha, WI in 1952 and continued farming while working other jobs. Some of these included Spancrete in Waukesha, and Peter’s Construction in Milwaukee. In 1969, Manden moved to Clyman, WI where he decided to go back in to full time farming. His wife, Alice then passed away in 1982. Manden married Lorraine Neumann Feilbach in 1983. Manden decided to leave farming and pursue his passion for gardening and so he went to work as the full time gardener for Aunt Nellie’s Foods in Clyman in 1983. He would also drive tractor for Dale Kreuziger and working in the fields kept him involved with his first love, farming. He and Dale were close friends. For leisure, Manden enjoyed dancing, canning vegetables, hunting, and fishing on the pontoon boat on Lake Puckaway. He also was an avid Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers fan. A recent highlight in his life was traveling to Washington D.C. with the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight to see the WWII memorials there. Manden lived a full life, and will be dearly missed by his loving family.

Manden is survived by: his 3 children, William (Judy) Sampson, Nancy (Ralph) Kohloff, and Wendy Sampson; 3 step-children, Larry (Linda) Feilbach, Barbara (Gerald) Pilsner, and Katherine (Paul) Reising; 12 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by: his parents; first wife, Alice; second wife, Lorraine; 4 brothers; and 4 sisters.

A funeral service will be held to honor the life of Manden at 11:00AM on Thursday, June 7, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in Clyman, WI with the Rev. Michael Schempf presiding. Visitation will be held from 9:00AM until the time of service at the church. Burial with military rights will take place in Zion Lutheran Cemetery following the service.