Lillian I. Sams Hile

Lillian I. Sams Hile, 79, of Vincent, Ohio, passed away on January 6, 2026, surrounded by loved ones in the comfort of her home. Lillian (aka Lil or Lilly) was born in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1946. She was the proud daughter of Goldie Berger Sams, a well-respected nurse, and Oren Sams, Jr., a WWII Seabee veteran and draftsman at DuPont Washington Works. She grew up in Vienna, West Virginia, and graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1964. Lilly attended WVU Morgantown and spent two formative years playing music in Greenwich Village, New York City.

When Lillian returned home, she worked as a nurse at Camden Clark and the Athens Mental Health Center. After giving birth to her daughter in 1974, Lillian flourished as a mother, wife, and homemaker in Cutler, Ohio. Her greatest loves were animals, plants, cooking, reading, writing, painting, and music. Lilly had eclectic taste in music, but was a lifelong fan of Neil Young, Donovan, Cat Stevens, The Everly Brothers, John Denver, and Joni Mitchell. She was a troop leader for Brownies and Girl Scouts, sang in church choir, and loved family vacations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 2003, Lil earned her BSN at Ohio University and worked at Marietta Memorial Hospital for over 20 years until retiring in 2012. Lillian cherished her family and friends and shared a close bond with her only child, Darcey. Lillian was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Oren “Jerry” Sams, III (Beth). She is survived by her daughter (Darcey), two nieces (Tamela and Jane), and four spoiled kitties.

There will be a graveside service at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on Sunday, May 24, 2026, 1:00pm. If necessary, a rain date will be announced on the Leavitt Funeral Home website. Donations may be made in Lillian’s honor to the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley (https://www.hsov.org) or the Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org). If you would like to share condolences, memories, or photographs, please visit www.LeavittFuneralHome.com.