John A. Sample

John A. Sample, 78, of Grove City, died suddenly on Friday evening in the emergency room of Grove City Medical Center.

He was born in the Forest Hills area of Pittsburgh on Oct. 10, 1934, to the late Joseph N. and Emma W. Casey Sample. John married Mary M. “Skip” Fowler on July 29, 1961.

John was a graduate of Wilkinsburg High School, Class of 1952. He attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate. He served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957.

John was Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Slippery Rock University (SRU) where he taught from 1971 until 1999. During his tenure at SRU, he served as the Psychology Department chairman for nine years. Before SRU, he taught at Penn State for five years.

He was active, along with his wife, with the Grove City Rotary Club, serving as youth exchange counselor for many years. He also was involved with the Grove City Area Historical Society. When his children were in high school, he was the head cross country coach. In later years, John was a volunteer assistant.

Survivors include his wife, Mary M. “Skip” Sample at home; three children, Michael R. Sample and his wife, Betsy, of Grove City, Joseph C. Sample and his wife, Cheryl, of Houston and Elizabeth “Becky” Cameron and her husband, Scottie, of Mercer; six grandchildren; and a sister, Josephine Winifred Miller of Monroeville.

SAMPLE — John A. Sample died Friday evening, Dec. 7, 2012. John's family will receive friends in the Sample family home, 504 Woodland Ave., Grove City, from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday. A private family memorial service will be held in Cunningham Funeral Home, Grove City, at a later date.In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory can be made to the Grove City Historical Society, P.O. Box 764, Grove City, PA 16127.