Teresa Marie Samson

Teresa Marie Samson, 43, of Newton died on Tuesday, July 5, 2016. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 11, at the Newton Church of the Way. The family will greet friends from 4 to 6 p.m., Sunday, July 10, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Memorials to the Newton Church of the Way Building Fund or to the Newton Christian School may be left at the funeral home or the church the day of the service.

Teresa, the daughter of James and Betty (Bennett) Samson, was born on May 31, 1973 in Newton. In 1985, her family moved to Pella where Teresa graduated from Pella High School in 1991. She was very active in high school in band and athletics. Teresa then graduated from Central College in Pella, where she was active in many organizations, with a BA in Psychology. She completed an internship with Polk County Victim Services and also was accepted as the youngest participant into the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Pine Rest Christian Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During her time in Michigan, she was a part of the Leader Dog School in Rochester, Michigan and received a leader dog named Hope. After returning to Newton to live, Teresa worked as a youth shelter counselor and also did in home daycare. She was a member of the Newton Church of the Way and enjoyed watching sports.

Teresa is survived by her parents, Jim and Betty Samson of Newton; siblings, Tami (Marc) Bushore of Newton, Tiffani (Jeremy) Heaberlin of Newton, Jonathan Samson (Sam Rincon) of Newton, and James (Christina) Samson of Clive; her nieces and nephews, Kylie Samson and Lily Cassady, Carson Slusser and Hannah Heaberlin, and Estelle and Maggie Samson; her paternal grandfather, Art Samson of Reasnor; maternal grandmother, Lela Bennett of Newton; and her aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Timothy Samson, in infancy; sister, Tina Samson; maternal grandfather, Robert Bennett; and paternal grandmother, Kathryn Samson.