Tribute Wall
Sunday
28
August
Gathering
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Freeman Manalapan Marlboro Funeral Home
344 Route 9 North
Manalapan, New Jersey, United States
732-972-8484
Sunday
28
August
Service
1:00 pm
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Freeman Manalapan Marlboro Funeral Home
344 Route 9 North
Manalapan, New Jersey, United States
732-972-8484
Interment
Marlboro Memorial Cemetery & Mausoleum
361 Hwy 79
Morganville, New Jersey, United States
732-970-9000
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Lisa Washington lit a candle
Sunday, August 28, 2022
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We will always remember you for your kind, loving spirit, Sam. May you Rest In Peace as you watch over your Dad, Mom and sister. ❤️
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Sydney posted a condolence
Sunday, August 28, 2022
I lost touch with Samantha after I stopped dancing many years ago. It is incredibly disheartening to hear this news. Sam was always so sweet and kind to everyone at the dance studio. She had such a friendly personality and always went out of her way to be nice to me. I was extremely shy as a child and Sam would try and make me feel included and welcome. I am so thankful for that. May she Rest In Peace.
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The McCabes planted a tree in memory of Samantha Pomponio
Saturday, August 27, 2022
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Sending our most sincere sympathies to you all.
Please wait
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Priscilla Brown posted a condolence
Saturday, August 27, 2022
We are so sorry for your loss. We are sending our love and ptayers during this extremely difficult time.
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Mason uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, August 27, 2022
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I met Sam when I was really young in dance class. We had a strong friendship for 11 years. I remember her convincing me to go to the National Art Honors Society meeting, then to my first portfolio day, and that was enough to convince me to be an artist myself. We went through four years of art classes together, even went on a art college visit to Ringling College of Art and Design together. I remember that was her top school for a while, but after a trip to MICA, she came to school the next day and excitedly told me all about this amazing school, and I knew she had found the place. Sam helped me figure out my AP studio concentration, came to every birthday party, was there to hear me vent about life, and a lot more. Our sophomore year she told me she was going to be president of the NAHS, and I was going to be vice. I didn’t have as much faith in me, but like always she was right.
Senior year we joined an independent study together for AP Art History, a love we both deeply shared. I remember Mrs. Allare letting us make tea, get under a blanket together, and watch art documentaries and biopics. We were most excited to watch “Big Eyes”together, it’s become a core memory of her for me.
I owe her so much.
Unfortunately Sam and I grew distant towards the end of high school, and after graduation we had pretty much lost communication. I actually hadn’t spoken to her in two years and it’s something I’m going to regret for a long time. Once in a while I would think back on Sam, and think maybe one day we’d run into each other while working in the same industry. Maybe work together and be partners. It saddens me knowing that won’t happen, but I know wherever she is, she’s still sculpting, painting, and doing all the forms of art I remember her doing.
Recently I adopted a baby black cat. We found her on our porch. Only a day before I received the news of Sam. My mind went to how I was there to meet the little black cat called Jinxs, she had adopted when we were in school. I like to think she brought this cat to me.
In the last few days I got to read, learn, and see her art. It amazes me how much she grew as an artist since we were kids. Learning about the things that have changed and not changed about her, from her closer friends have brought me so much comfort and peace and I’m so thankful for those who shared her stories with me.
I’m so unbelievably sorry for her sister, friends, and family. Sam was so loved, even by me, someone who wasn’t good friends with her in the end. Praying for her and everyone close to her.
-Mason Sauickie
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Jeanette Blodgett lit a candle
Saturday, August 27, 2022
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I haven’t seen Sam in many years, but her kind spirit has stayed with me. I didn’t know about her art, but I watched her dance for years with enthusiasm and passion. She always put her all into every performance. My heart breaks for for family. Sending prayers and condolences
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Luna posted a symbolic gesture
Friday, August 26, 2022
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Samantha Pomponio was the most amazing spirited, hardworking and loving-willed people i’d ever met in my life. Beginning as a coworker, growing to my manager and becoming my friend. I cherished Sam dearly and it breaks my heart to know she’s gone. She was a mentor for me; reminding me its okay to get overwhelmed but to always push past it. Without her i wouldnt have grown within my work; she inspired me to continue drawing, her art was just gorgeous and i loved coming in to work every day and her pulling her ipad out to show me her new little sketch or doodle she did. She inspired me to get better within my art, all while teaching me how to be an awesome employee, and basically becoming like a big sister to me. Thank you for all you do & did sam. I love you and i will miss you endlessly. Rest easy. -Luna.
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Mai Ly Degnan uploaded photo(s)
Friday, August 26, 2022
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I feel so lucky to have met Sam way back when She was in my precollege illustration class the summer of 2018, and even luckier that I got to teach her again for her whole junior year this past year.
As a student, Sam was one of the most kind and supportive people Ive ever had in a classroom. She was always wonderful to her fellow classmates, and I never saw any moments of her being unkind to anyone. Ever. She always helped me believe that I was doing a good job, even on days where I didn’t think things went smoothly.
Sam was an incredibly hard worker, loved people, and loved animals. She worked harder than most adults I know. She was always talking about a new pet she had adopted or a new project she was really excited to be working on. Sam worked many jobs, took an incredibly heavy load of classes at MICA and still was one of the most active students I knew on campus. Every time I ran into Sam at the admissions office (where she worked as a Student Ambassador), I always had the mostly lovely conversations. I feel sorry for anyone who didn’t get the chance to know her. She always wanted to try so many things. Even with how busy she was, she always did her best.
I hold a huge place in my heart for Sam. If anything, she taught me to be kind to others, try everything, and live life. MICA was a better place because of people like her and I am so proud I got to watch her grow, even for just a little bit. Huge hugs to Sam’s family and friends.
Mai Ly Degnan
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Colette Veasey-Cullors posted a condolence
Thursday, August 25, 2022
To the Pomponio family,
I am incredibly sorry for your tremendous loss. All of us here at MICA were inspired by Sam's creativity, joy, passion and leadership. Sam's light was bright and inspiring to all that came in contact with her. That light is still shining brightly within each one of us.
Sincerely, Colette Veasey-Cullors
Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, MICA
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Kim Faulkner lit a candle
Thursday, August 25, 2022
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Dear Myra and family,
We cannot begin to imagine the pain you are in. Samantha was such a bright, talented and caring person even at a young age. We will always remember her pieces at the school art exhibitions, especially her senior year. She shared her passion with the world and we were lucky enough to see it through her eyes.
❤️ Kim & Madison Faulkner
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Sofia Maldonado uploaded photo(s)
Thursday, August 25, 2022
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Sam and I meet in the first week of class of freshman year and that class was Drawing and Tradition. We were friends and we had lunch but sophomore year was the year that we grew closer. We worked together in the Student government at MICA during the zoom classes and having meeting online you encourage me and calm me down when I didn't know what do. Then once we both start to live at Baltimore we grew closer. I still remember how we exchanged drinks from our work place me at Starbucks and her at simple tea we were 2 min from each other at work! I would give you free food you would give me free pizza .
I got the chance to meet your family and friends on my first ever 4th of July in the USA. You all show me such kindness and I will forever be grateful
thank you Sam for being with me for this 3 years. Thank you
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Ruby uploaded photo(s)
Thursday, August 25, 2022
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Sam was extremely funny, caring, and passionate. She was a resilient person, but sensitive as well, and deeply cared for her family and others close to her. I especially remember her love and concern for her sister, who she thought of and talked to me about often. She had a great sense of ironic humor, and was able to get along with just about everyone she met-- whenever she was on campus, at least three or four people would recognize her and give her an enthusiastic greeting. Despite having so many out-of-school and in-school responsibilities, Sam retained her huge enthusiasm for art and illustration. Even though she came to MlCA primarily interested in illustration, she decided to pick up ceramics as well, and poured her energy into both. She would reach out to game companies who made video games she liked, made extra meetings with her professors, bought concept art books that had art from shows and games and comics, 3d printed things, sculpted late at night in the studio, and generally went above and beyond to feed her passion for art and media. She was deeply interested in a wide variety of things, which contributed to her huge personality; a few classic sam interests would have to be the office, rhett and link (she had a GMM statuette that mochi knocked over and broke), anything batman related (especially the joker), greek mythology (she dressed up as nyx for halloween and was super interested in the story of persephone), music, (she liked AJR and rex orange county in particular, but had broad tastes), graphic novels (she loved this one illustrator who made a beast boy and raven comic so much she got his art tattooed on her), cool witchy stuff I could never understand (tarot, crystals, incense, dope ass cloaks), rick and morty (no explanation needed), popcorn, and a bunch of other stuff that anyone close to sam would have gotten a taste of. She loved to go out, she loved exploring and had a taste for urbex (even though she got caught once!!), and most importantly- she loved her cats!!! This bit cannot be overstated. Though she ended up with a whole family of pets I think her favorite baby will always be Mochi; he was the first cat she adopted at college, and was a little spoiled prince. She would let him ride around on her back, and always had stories to share about his devilish antics. She hugely loved her other pets though, and would miss the ones left back at home. She loved to get piercings and tattoos; I think her first tattoo is the huge butterfly one on her back, which is a little crazy but also totally badass and very sam-like. At one point she wanted to get all of her helix piercings changed, and the piercer basically had to re-pierce all of them because they were kinda closed up; I watched her sit through like six or seven piercings in a row and was completely shocked by her resilience. She was in agony the whole time, but sat through it and ended up looking super dope (she chose a rainbow gradient theme), which made the ordeal 100% worth it to her. I really liked that her room reflected all of her different interests, because it was heavily decorated with posters, tapestries, galaxy lights, cat toys, etc; she also had a cool edgy-ish sense of style and good taste in cars (I know nothing about them, but her car was cool as hell and and she knew her way around them). She had a lot of skills and a lot of stuff on her plate, and was genuinely one of the coolest people I've known. Being around her was amazing, and I wish we could have stayed closer at the end, but I know for a fact that she was thriving around the right people. She gave a lot and deserved way more, and I know that wherever she is, she'll finish all the things she started-- she's way too stubborn not to. I sincerely give my condolences to her family; it was obvious how fiercely they loved and needed her, and how deeply her absence will break their hearts. Sam was such a big presence that I know she'll stay with the people who were close to her. Even when we weren't in contact I always thought about her when I saw the things she liked, and I know that will always continue to happen. I'm extremely lucky that she was in my life for the time that she was, and will keep missing her.
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Robyn Oliver & Lorena DelMauro lit a candle
Thursday, August 25, 2022
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Dear Myra & Family,
Lorena and I are so sorry!
We are sending you love and prayers and hope you are able to find strength
during this dark time. The love and joy that Sam brought will never be forgotten.
You are in our Thoughts & Prayers. We love you!
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Sudhanshu Handa posted a symbolic gesture
Thursday, August 25, 2022
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Lisa and I are so sad for your loss. In the few times we had the pleasure of being with Sam during visits to MICA, she was incredibly warm and friendly, with a vibrant personality and creative mind. We send you our deepest sympathies. -Ashu Handa and Lisa Rubenstein
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Susan Kessler uploaded photo(s)
Thursday, August 25, 2022
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I’m so sorry for your loss. Samantha was one of my favorite campers at BBL. She came to Gaga all the time and made me smile & laugh. She made me this mug in pottery! I’ll always treasure it!
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Rae Havens uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
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Sam was my best friend for 3/4 of my life. We were joint at the hip for 15 years and we ended in bad terms and I had nothing but love for her. May she Rest In Peace
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Franne Berenberg lit a candle
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
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Myra and family, I am so saddened to hear this. You have an angel by your side forever. May she Rest In Peace. .
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Colette Visser lit a candle
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
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Samantha's big heart and personality were contagious. My heart breaks for you and your family during this time. So sorry for your sudden and tragic loss. She was a beautiful angel. The world was a better place because she was in it.
