Samantha "Sam" Wooten

Samantha “Safety Sam” Wooten of Belmont, NH passed away on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. Sam was born on March 19, 1987. While her path eventually led her to "the north country," she was born and raised in Weymouth, MA. She grew up in the midst of two large, dynamic, and loving families: the Flipps and the Wootens.

From an early age it was easy to feel the vibrancy that Sam brought to this world: her bright, blue eyes and her great, big smile were - and will always be - unforgettable. She attended Weymouth public schools and then graduated in 2005 from Norfolk County Agricultural High School (like her late father before her).

In 2012 Sam entered a new phase of her life, one that became elemental to her identity: she gave birth to her most beloved daughter Grace Ella on April 28. To say that the two of them were a dynamic duo is an understatement. They were connected at the hip, and at the heart.

Following the tragic loss of her father, Tom Wooten, in a workplace accident, Sam dedicated herself to improving workplace protections for public and private sector workers. She studied hard and earned numerous prestigious and competitive scholarships to support her education and training, first at NHTI in Concord, then for her bachelor’s degree at Southern New Hampshire University, and finally in the Master of Sciences program in Community Health and Safety at Keene State College.

Over the course of her studies and then as an employee of Contractors Risk Management, Concord NH, Sam championed the cause of worker’s safety at local, state, and even national levels, earning awards and gratitude from that professional community, as well as from affected families. Sam worked with legislators to pass several key workplace safety laws and served as a keynote speaker at industry conferences and professional meetings. In the process of pursuing her calling, Sam made a “second family" in the safety community.

In her off time, Sam loved being part of gatherings and celebrations, from meals with friends and family to concerts and Bruins games, usually with Grace by her side. Sam made so many memories in such a short time and impacted so many lives. 

She made a difference: helping to make the world a safer place. The effects of her dedication in this regard will be a true and meaningful legacy. Her “families” and friends were blessed by her presence and will recall her with tenderness and love.

Sam was predeceased by her father Tom Wooten and her grandparents Connie Flipp and Helen and George Wooten. She is survived by her beloved daughter Grace Andrews; mother Allison Flipp Wooten (fiancé Bill Tallman III) of Gilford, NH; brother David Wooten (Lauren Descombes Wooten) and cherished niece Winifred of Claremont, CA; her grandfather Carl Flipp of Weymouth, MA; her “soul sister” April Hunter of Rockland, MA; and dozens of dear aunts, uncles, and cousins, near and far.

Relatives and friends are invited to greet her family and celebrate her life on Sunday September 18th at Dupuis Funeral Home, 11 Hill Ave, Ashland NH.   Visiting hours 12-2 pm, Reflection Service from 2-3 pm Celebration of Life at The Common Man located 231 Main St, Plymouth, NH immediately following the services.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the cause she championed so tirelessly and the organization that supported her studies: the American Society of Safety Professionals (https://foundation.assp.org/family-scholarship-fund/)