Samantha Shea Roberts

Samantha "Sam" Shea Roberts passed away on May 12, 2023 after fighting a rare, aggressive cervical cancer. She was 22. Sam was a warm, compassionate friend and loving daughter and sister who was always up for an adventure.

A lifelong artist, Sam derived much of her artistic energy from experimenting with different mediums. These included paint, pastels, ceramics, CAD, fabric, glass, metal, egg shells, double-yolk eggs, and many repurposed items. She was driven to create and always sought unusual ways to express her creativity. Her art won acclaim and prizes in local and school shows and contests from junior high to college.

Sam attended elementary school at Cesar Chavez and middle school at St. Maria Goretti, where she earned the honor of having a piece selected for permanent display in eighth grade.

Sam attended Madison Memorial High School. During her freshman year, she entered her Dr. Who weeping angel costume in a local fabric store contest and won a first-place cash prize. She spent her senior year taking as many art courses as she could and had several of her pieces displayed in MMoCA's Young at Art exhibition that year. She painted flames on her car and won the title Coolest Car. She played trombone in concert, jazz, and pep bands and pit orchestra and participated in two band Polar Plunges. She also participated in track and cross country. She graduated in 2019 with honors and celebrated by skydiving with her best friend, Hailey Collins.

Sam attended UW-Stout for Industrial Design, then Studio Art when she realized that was her passion. She transferred to UW-Madison after her cancer diagnosis and found a new passion in glass. She organized the Uncommon Trajectories art show at UW-Madison with Lucas Fitzpatrick and Abby Sunde, and featured works she created at Stout, Madison, during the pandemic, and during treatment. Her masterpiece was Egg Hex, featuring glass and double-yolk eggs. Sam made the dean's list at both Stout and Madison. She participated in her last Polar Plunge with her glass class.

Sam entered an intricate fabric piece in this year's Memorial Union student art show and won a cash prize.

She loved her quirky apartment at the top of State Street and the attention her glass balcony display brought.

Sam loved cats and volunteered at the Dane County Humane Society with her father while growing up.

Many thanks to the wonderful staff at UW Gynecologic Oncology and Agrace Hospice, who helped and supported Sam during her fight.

Sam is survived by her parents, Darrel and Diane Roberts, brother Jared Roberts (girlfriend Lexe Brickl), grandmother Judy Hable, aunts and uncles Jeff Hable (girlfriend Natalie Thingvold), Dick and Marcia Taugher, David and Susan Peterson, Steve and Cheryl Roberts, and Missy Roberts; cousins Ryan (Corinne) Taugher, Rebecca (Zach) Hebl, Ashley (Joshua) Shreve, Claire (Brandon) Vaidyanathan, Logan (Rob) Dewar, Marin Peterson, Melissa (Jeremy) Hodson, and Brett (Jeanine) Roberts; and 14 first cousins once removed.

Sam is preceded in death by her grandparents Allen Hable and Frank and Carol Roberts, and first cousin once removed Nora Shreve.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday May 21, 2023 at Cress Funeral Home at 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. Visitation will be from 12 - 2, followed by a funeral service and reception. Service will also be live stream with this link https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony/?c=5e600f22-2896-45c2-b7c7-7985bce458f2 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dane County Humane Society or to a scholarship being established in her name on bold.org.

Cress Funeral Service

3610 Speedway Rd.

Madison, WI 53705

608-238-3434