• Sam “Sammy” Glenn Britt, 83, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, December 18, 2023.  Sammy, a native of Ruleville, was born on September 26, 1940 to Sam Archie Britt and Hazel Griffith Britt.  While he was loved by many, he would be the first to tell you his greatest love was Linda Newsome Britt, his childhood sweetheart and wife of 62 years.   

    While Sammy was a student at the Memphis Academy of  Art, he began spending his summers studying with Henry Hensche at the Cape Cod School of Art in Provincetown, Massachusetts, which gave him a desire to learn to paint and teach like Mr. Hensche.  After graduating from MAA, he received his Master of Fine Arts Degree in Painting from the University of Mississippi.  He taught Painting and Drawing for 38 years at Delta State University.  He also taught Painting Workshops for many years.  Sammy truly cared about each student he taught.  He taught and practiced the art of seeing and painting color through the language of the limitless light keys of nature. During his career he was honored to receive numerous awards:  Institute of Arts & Letters 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award, 2017 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Visual Arts, 2019 Delta State University Alumni Award, and The Kossman Outstanding Teacher Award at DSU in 2002.    

    Sammy was preceded in death by his father Sam Archie Britt, mother Hazel Griffith Britt and brother Billy Boyd Britt.  He is survived by his wife Linda Newsome Britt, brother Donald “Don” Britt (Cathy) and his three children and his seven grandchildren who brought him the greatest joy ~ daughter Alison Britt, son Glenn Britt (Sarah), son Steve Britt (Jana), grandchildren Jonathan, Mark, Nathan, Noah, Andrew, Amelia, and Madison Britt.  Sammy always strived to reflect the beauty of God’s creation through his art.  “In our greatest artistic moment we can merely create a weak illusion of God’s great creative genius, but that tiny glimpse of God’s beauty is more than enough to share with another soul.”  S.Britt

     

    A Celebration of Sammy’s Life will be held at Studio 230, 110 S Court St, Cleveland, MS 38732 on Wednesday, December 27 at 2:30. 

    In memory of Sammy, donations may be made to Delta State University Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 3141, Cleveland, MS  38733 ~ designated for the Sammy Britt Memorial Scholarship.           

     
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