Samantha Danyail Preston

"The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long..."

Samantha Danyail Preston passed away unexpectedly on October 4, 2024, in Mesa, Arizona, at the age of 33. She was born on November 29, 1990, in St. Louis, MO. She was the daughter of Joe and Andrea Preston.

Samantha was a deeply passionate young woman. She possessed an unconditional love for all animals, and found comfort in visiting, donating, and volunteering her time at petting zoos and animal shelters. She grew up surrounded by her friendly family cats; Little Kitty (LK), Daisy, and Chopper... and as an adult, she adopted Abigail, Natalie, and Charlotte.

Samantha also maintained a deep and admirable investment in local and national politics. She was informed, heartfelt, and was a fierce advocate for women's and human rights.

She was always less concerned about material things, and more concerned about making memories with her close friends, enjoying good food and music, and cuddling friendly animals, particularly cats .

Since her late teens, Samantha enjoyed working in the world of residential and commercial real estate, bringing energy and enthusiasm to her work. Beyond her professional life, she was a dedicated friend, daughter, and sister, known for her genuine and unpretentious personality.

She loved going to the movies (scary movies!), rewatching The Office (3 times), along with her search for the perfect onion ring, the quest for perfect home made ranch dressing, and Haribo gummy bears.

Her other interests included attending big rock concerts, as well as shows in the local clubs. 

She loved pop music, especially Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey, and Lorde, but she also loved artists like Jakob Dylan, Old 97s and Conor Oberst. She was also a huge fan of the iconic Tempe AZ band, Dead Hot Workshop.

Samantha found joy in simple pleasures, from sunny days at water parks, amusement parks and farmer's markets, to brunch outings (steak and eggs or huevos rancheros...) and omakase sushi dinners with her epicurean pal.

Her 2 favorite movies were Forrest Gump and the Lion King. 

Her favorite car was the Mercedes G500. (G Wagon!)

Her favorite meal was sushi.

Her favorite sushi was tuna sashimi.

Her favorite restaurant was Sushi Sen in Scottsdale.

She wouldn't eat pork products except for bacon.

She didn't like being called Sam, because Sam rhymes with ham, and ham is a pork product.

Her cat, Natalie, was her constant companion, embodying her deep connection to cats throughout her life.

Samantha is preceded in passing by her beloved big brother, Josh, and her father, Joe. She is survived by her loving mother, Andrea, and her many friends and acquaintances who will remember her fondly (and Natalie).