Royce Lester Sampson

On Friday, March 31, 2023, Royce Lester Sampson was called home to rest from his labor. He was born January 1, 1937 in Hurlock, Maryland, the son of the late Thomas Sampson and Ada Mae Stanley. He moved to Baltimore, Maryland at the age of five with his mother and his older brother.

He attended Baltimore Public Schools and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School. Upon graduation, he joined the US Army and attended the NCO Academy in Fort Dix, New Jersey and served in West Germany during the Korean War. After serving in the military, he furthered his studies at the University of Baltimore Management Institute and RETS Electronic School.

Royce worked over 45 years as a printer including over 13 years as a supervisor with Waverly/Cadmus Journal Services, Inc. in Baltimore and Easton, MD. His expertise enabled him to become the Co-founder and President of a small publishing company along with his sons aptly named Royce Enterprises, Inc. which published a newspaper called THE ROCK, the first Black newspaper in Talbot County. Royce had a long history of serving the community in which he resided. While living in Baltimore, he could be found volunteering as a PTA President of his children’s local grade school, President of the Forest Park Little League, or coaching his two sons during their Little League playing days.

After several years of living in Easton, Maryland, the excitement of community service moved him to get involved in the empowerment of his community. During this period, his enthusiasm became the driving force he used to create The We Care Youth Club, a non-profit organization that provided programs and activities for Talbot County’s children. The We Care Youth Club grew to over 75 youths which included a marching band, a dance team, an annual festival, field trips, a scholarship program and an entrepreneurship program.

During his community service years, Royce’s leadership skills and his zeal for helping people shined brightly. Royce has served in various capacities with several organizations including two terms as the President of the Talbot County NAACP, 1st Vice President of the MD State Conference NAACP, First Black District Commander of the American Legion, Chairman of the Steering Committee for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Chairman of the Youth Council Workforce Investment Board, along with other organizations too numerous to mention. After his retirement, he founded the Harriet Tubman Conference which was an Eastern Shore annual event of attendees, presenters, and guest speakers to honor the great Harriet Tubman. He also served as a coordinator of the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Harriet Tubman National Park and a Board Member of the Harriet Tubman Coalition. Last, but not least Royce founded another business, REI Heritage Tours which was a tour of Harriet Tubman’s life and journey towards the Underground Railroad. There were busloads of tours throughout the years, and he donated 50% of his company’s earnings to the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center in Cambridge, MD.

Royce has received recognition and numerous awards which include the 1992 Governor’s Citation, a 2001 Certificate of Appreciation as the Coordinator of the Eastern Shore Summit, Certificate of Craftsmanship from the Master Printers of America, and a Certificate from the Shore Leadership Class of 2001 just to name a few.

Royce was a member of Faith Community Church in East New Market where he served as an usher and church historian for several years. His hobbies included reading Native American and African history, watching old westerns, listening to jazz music and researching family genealogy. He was proud to lecture on the Family Tree History at the yearly family reunion gatherings. Regardless of his many awards and achievements, Royce was most proud of his family, and he always considered this his greatest accomplishment.  Royce’s words of wisdom to live by are simply, “You must become the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Royce was preceded in death by his two brothers Thomas Sampson, Jr., and O’Donald Sampson and his wife Betty.

Royce was the patriarch and the rock of his family; He leaves his beloved wife, Jerlean Sampson of 60 years; 2 sons, Jerrold Sampson (Glynis), Michael Sampson (Angela); one daughter, Dr. Sophia Jacobs; 4 grandsons, Brandon Sampson, Timothy Jacobs, Travis Jacobs, and Jordan Sampson; 2 granddaughters, Tiffany Jacobs and Skyler Sampson, 1 step granddaughter, Jaynee’ Jones (Matthew); 4 brothers, Rudolph Camper, Walter Felton (Jayne), Anthony Felton and Ross Sampson; 2 sisters, Gloria Felton and Regina Felton; a special cousin Dante Sampson; and a host of loving nephews, great-nephews, nieces, great-nieces, in-laws, cousins, relatives, comrades and friends.

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