Graceful. Courageous. Kindhearted. Beautiful. Those are words that Alpha Sigma sisters described their fellow sorority sister, Samantha Buysse, who passed away unexpectedly late Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025.
Buysse was a member of the Alpha Sigma sorority at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater during her freshman year before moving back home to De Pere to continue her education in Green Bay.
“We all probably wish she would have stayed in Whitewater with us,” said Alpha Sigma sister Erica Winterlin. “She did end up continuing her education. She got an honorary degree from UW-Green Bay, which they actually had at her funeral.”
Buysse was described as someone who would light up any room she walked into. Winterlin said she enjoyed spending time with her, and her favorite memory was going thrifting with her and trying on the ugliest things they could find to show each other.
While a member, Buysse held two positions within the sorority: activities chair and a role in her new member class of 2022.
“She ran for positions when she was in the chapter,” said Alpha Sigma sister Alyssa Borring. “She was somebody who always took the initiative.”
Though Buysse was not an active member of Alpha Sigma, her sorority sisters still treated her like one.
“When she left, we were like ‘We’re still sisters; we’re still friends,’” Winterlin said. “That’s why when she passed away, it was not like ‘Oh, one of the girls who dropped out chapter passed away.’ It was her. She was her.”
When Buysse would visit Whitewater, she was always welcomed with open arms by her sisters.
“I saw her at Spring Splash this past year, and she came up behind me and hugged me,” Winterlin said. “I turned around and was like ‘Oh, of course it’s you.’ I hadn’t seen her since January. We ended up spending the rest of the day together, and there’s a picture of us walking down Prairie Street holding hands.”
After the news of Buysse’s passing, Alpha Sigma sister Tabby Payne set up a candlelight vigil in her honor, which was held outside the sorority’s house on Main Street.
“As soon as Erica sent out the text to our sorority saying what happened, I immediately started sobbing on the phone,” Payne said. “I gave a call to my friend Alyssa after I found out. I went to her house and said, ‘We need to do a candlelight vigil.’”
The vigil was attended by sisters of the sorority, along with members of all other UW-W Greek chapters.
“She would have loved this,” Payne said. “All these people who have never met her, don’t even know who she is, and they’re still coming because of this Greek community that we have at this campus. Everyone is so tight-knit, and they felt for us.”
After Buysse’s unexpected passing, a GoFundMe was set up by her family to raise money for her funeral expenses. In the end $23,000 was raised.
Though Buysse was not an active member at the time of her passing, she was always treated as one every time she visited. Her sorority sisters remember her as someone they could count on and as someone they enjoyed spending time with.
