Samantha "Sam" (Lerpiniere) Switzer

SWITZER, Samantha “Sam”

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved wife, mother and friend, Nicole Samantha Switzer (Lerpiniere) surrounded by her loved ones at Hospice Peterborough, on Saturday April 23, 2022.

Sam is survived by her husband of 35 years, Roger, and daughters Zoe and Sienna. Sam wanted nothing more than to be a mother, and she considered Zoe and Sienna her greatest achievement and the greatest gift in her life. She loved them to the moon and back and nothing was more important to her than their happiness and success.

Sam also leaves behind her closest friends Kendra Sutton and Shawn Faris, sister-in-law Sue Martin (Adrian), brother-in-law Tim Switzer (Robyn), sister-in-law Debbie Moore, sister-in-law June Nichols (Jamie), and many nieces and nephews.

Sam was born in Chevy Chase, Maryland on October 23, 1967. She lived in several different towns and cities growing up including Ottawa, Haliburton, and eventually Fenelon Falls where she met her husband Roger in high school at the age of 15. Sam was an extremely hard worker who worked for many years at Myers Transport as a dispatcher and Higgins Flooring as office manager. Her last 4 years were spent working for Ontario Parks, with her final position being Administrative Assistant to the director. Her skills for organization were unmatched and were also appreciated beyond the workplace. She ran her household like a well-oiled machine, spending years supporting her girls in their extracurricular pursuits, helping with schoolwork, baking for fundraisers, and shuttling them around.

Sam shared a great love of animals. Her dog Dakota and her cat Bella were by her side at all times during her illness and loved to fight for space in the bed with her at night. Sam also enjoyed riding horses and was thrilled to acquire her beautiful horse Jett in 2017. She took weekly lessons, rode for fun on other days with her “barn girls”, and competed in horse shows with Jett, often winning several ribbons. She was very proud of her accomplishments on him.

Sam loved the outdoors. Roger and Sam often reminisced about their backcountry camping adventures (before kids) in Algonquin Park, their years of tent trailering (even as close as Emily Park as Sam loved the idea of going home to shower every day), and finally their years spent at their trailer at Bear Ridge on Wollaston Lake. She was always up for a walk around the neighborhood and spent many years training at Crossfit gyms in Peterborough.  

The family would like to extend thanks to Dr. Neera Jeyabalan and her team in oncology at PRHC, Dr. Natalie Whiting, Dr. Christopher Blake, and all of the staff at Hospice Peterborough for their care and compassion. The family would also like thank the women who Sam connected with virtually every two weeks in her Hospice Group for offering care, kindness and support. Finally, the family would like to thank all of Sam’s friends and co-workers who supported them over the last 20 months and made navigating her illness during a global pandemic feel slightly less difficult.  

In keeping with Sam’s wishes, a visitation will be held at HIGHLAND PARK FUNERAL CENTRE 2510 Bensfort Rd., Peterborough on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 from 2:00-4:00 and 7:00-9:00 PM. At the family’s request, Face coverings are mandatory. A private burial will take place at Little Lake Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sam’s memory to Hospice Peterborough. Online condolences may be made at www.highlandparkfuneralcentre.com