CORNWALL, CONN. — Mary Blair Sams died at home in Cornwall on January 9. She was 77.
Born in Atlanta, Ga., in 1937, she practiced psychotherapy in Manhattan for roughly three decades. After closing her practice, she and her late husband, physician William K. Rashbaum, Sr, moved to Cornwall. Their delight in refurbishing an old house in the village prompted her to open Ballyhack Antiques, specializing in country furniture and folk art. Sams dealt by appointment and at shows, participating in Heart of Country in Nashville, Tenn., and Midweek in Manchester in New Hampshire, among others.
Her warm manner and lively sense of humor inspired friendship. An able listener, she offered her time and talent to Prime Time House, a mental health facility in Torrington, Conn. She held leadership positions there and at a related organization.
Sams is survived by two sons, David Armstrong Edelman of McLean, Va., and Jonathan Sams Edelman of Manhattan and Kent, Conn.; stepchildren William K. Rashbaum Jr and Sara Phillips, both of Manhattan; two grandchildren, Annabel and Antoine Edelman; and a step-granddaughter, Isabel Phillips. She is also survived by her brother, Robert Sams Jr of Decatur, Ga. A memorial service is planned for a future date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 633 Third Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10017 or visit http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/Mary_Blair_Sams.
A tribute to Mary Sams by Tim Brennan of Brennan & Mouilleseaux Antiques appears on page 25.
