Margaret Sampsel, 67

Margaret "Maggie" Ann Sampsel, 67, formerly of Miles City, born June 30, 1958, died March 7, 2026, in Bigfork.

Margaret "Maggie" Ann Sampsel was born on June 30, 1958, in Miles City — the fourth and youngest child of Dewey Munro Huss and Elizabeth Ann (Kelly) Huss. She was a woman of extraordinary intelligence, quiet strength, and fierce devotion to her family, and her loss is nothing short of devastating.

She grew up in Miles City, where she attended Sacred Heart Schools, graduating in 1976. It was during those years that she met Robert "Bob" Sampsel while working as a DQ dolly at the local Dairy Queen. They married in Miles City in 1979. The couple made their first home in Bozeman, where Bob attended Montana State University, and their son Joe arrived in 1981. The family moved to Havre shortly thereafter, and then to Miles City, where Maggie and Bob settled in to raise their family and where their daughter, Marybeth, was born in 1983.

From the very beginning, Maggie poured herself into her family with characteristic determination. She set aside her career ambitions without hesitation and devoted herself fully to her home and her children. Hers was a household built on love made visible in a thousand deliberate ways: Halloween costumes sewn by hand, homemade birthday treats carried proudly into school, and a dinner table where the family gathered together every single night. She kept an immaculate home, second only perhaps to her mother Betty's, changing the sheets every Sunday without fail, cleaning the bathroom daily, and doing more laundry than seemed humanly possible. Always putting her family first, she traversed the state for her children's activities, never missing a game, a meet, a recital, or any moment that mattered to them. 

As her children grew and Bob's health declined, Maggie chose to chart an entirely new course, living proof that it is never too late to begin again. The family relocated to Billings where she returned to school with characteristic determination. She completed her bachelor's degree and then her master's before enrolling at the University of Montana School of Law in Missoula. She earned her law degree shortly after turning 50. Maggie went on to serve the State of Montana in the risk management and tort defense division in Helena before moving to the Flathead Valley to be closer to her children and grandchildren. In the Flathead, she clerked for the Honorable Dan Wilson, who became both a trusted colleague and close friend. She worked full-time for "Judge Dan" until the day of her cancer diagnosis and always hoped to return. She found great purpose and meaning in her work.

In her last years, Maggie and Bob shared some cherished travels, including watching the Rose Bowl and Parade of Roses, adventuring to Calgary with their granddaughters, and journeying to Medora with their son and his family. She enjoyed cheering on her grandchildren at musicals, gymnastics performances, and sporting events, and loved them fiercely, wishing only that her health had allowed her more time with them.

Maggie was enormously bright, capable, strong-willed, and witty. She was, by her own nature, fiercely private. True to herself in every way, she passed away peacefully at home on March 7, 2026, with her husband and children by her side. Throughout her illness, Bob stood steadfastly beside her, honored to return the unwavering care and devotion she had shown him through his own health struggles, including a heart transplant.

Maggie is survived by her husband of 46 years, Robert Sampsel; her son, Joe Sampsel, his wife, Alyssa and their sons, Mason and Connor; and her daughter, Marybeth Sampsel-Sullivan, her husband, Paul and their children, Effie, Josie, Dewey and Pauley. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dewey and Betty Huss, and her brother, George "Jerry" Huss.

In keeping with her wishes, her life will be privately celebrated by her family. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to your local food bank in Maggie's honor.