Bertrand "Bert" E. Sample

Bertrand E. “Bert” Sample, age 85, of Madison, died Monday, August 28, 2017, at the Good Samaritan Society in Howard. Funeral services will be 11:00 am, Friday, September 1, 2017, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison with military honors to follow at the church. Visitation will begin at noon on Thursday with the family present from 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 7.  Family inurnment will be held at a later date.

He was born on July 5, 1932, at Spring Valley, MN, to Wilbur and Harriet (Miller) Sample. He graduated from Madison High School in 1950 and attended college at the University of Nebraska, graduating with a degree in Mathematics in 1954. He served in the US Navy from 1954-1957 and the Naval Reserve until 1967. Bert married Jenean Frager on June 26, 1960, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison. He worked at Northwest Bank in Sioux Falls and Madison, and later purchased Johnson’s Floral in 1966. Bert and Jenean established Sample Our Flowers in Madison and endured both fire and floods until closing in December 2016.

He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church (Deacon), the Madison Chamber of Commerce, SD Retailers, Kiwanis, American Legion & VFW, Elks, MHS Booster Club. Bert was a little league coach, a scout leader, Broncos baseball fan and announcer, and Bowling Assn Treasurer. Bert loved all Minnesota sports and loved dogs.

Preceding him in death are his parents; and his brother Bill.

Bert is survived by his wife Jenean of Madison; 2 sons, Steve (Sheila) Sample of Sioux Falls, and Randy Sample of Madison; one daughter, Catherine (Jon) Lester of Madison. 2 sisters, Edna Doering of Madison, and Leora Gabrielson of Sioux Falls; 4 grandchildren, Josephine, Benjamin, Keirrah, and Jacob; one great-grandson, Greyson; one brother-in-law, Norval (Phyllis) Frager of CA; two sisters-in-law, JoAnn Sample of WA, and Darlene Renner of Madison; and numerous nieces and nephews.

 Service Information