James Samuel “Sammy” Leister, 57, passed away Monday, June 3, 2019, at his home in Oakland, Mississippi.  Visitation will be Thursday, June 6, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Coleman Funeral Home. A funeral service will immediately follow at 1 p.m., also at Coleman Funeral Home.  Interment will be at Abbeville Cemetery (County Road 201, Abbeville, MS). Coleman Funeral Home of Oxford is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Leister was born in Oxford, Mississippi.  He loved spending time fishing, and he also enjoyed creating things from his love of woodworking, but his greatest love was his daughter, Brianna.  He was a member of Oxford Church of Christ. He was employed as a house painter for Oliphant Paint for many years.

Mr. Leister is survived by his daughter, Brianna of Oxford; his mother, Myrtis Jean Wimberly Tubbs Mills of Oakland; his stepfather, Charles W. Mills of Oakland; his sister, Sandra Jean Operle of Abbeville, Mississippi; his brother James Clayton Smith of Jackson, Mississippi; and two stepbrothers, Ricky Mills of Crowder, Mississippi, and Randy Mills of Oxford.  Mr. Leister was preceded in death by his father, Roy Samuel Leister.

Online condolences may be left on his Tribute Wall at www.colemanfuneralhome.com