Samantha Jane Aguilar

Samantha Jane Aguilar, age 38, sister and Aunt Sam Sam as her family called her, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 18, 2026, with her mother by her side. Sammey was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Known to many as Sammey, she attended Lake Harriet Community School and later Southwest High School, where she formed many lifelong friendships that she cherished deeply.

Sammey was creative at heart. Artwork, DIY projects, she always remembered everyone with a craft or two at Christmas and birthdays. She was wildly adventurous and loved snowboarding, hanging out with friends, playing basketball, and sailing on the lakes of Minneapolis. Sammey always made sure to remember where she came from and loved her family dearly.

Like her dad, she developed a love for cooking. She didn't need a recipe; she used her creative eye to always make a delicious and creative meal and did so for many restaurants, including The Glockenspiel German Restaurant, where she cooked flavorful meaty dishes, all while being a vegetarian.

Sammey loved animals, especially elephants, and collected anything that represented them. She was rarely far from her beloved pit bull, Lucy, whom she had found and became inseparable from, along with her cat, Bebe, who bonded only with her. When she was in the hospital, she wanted to get home to see her beloved cat BeBe, and she did. Her favorite color was purple, a reflection of her vibrant personality. She loved Halloween and made sure to always dress up, and loved giving out candy to all of the kids.

Sammey had one older sister, Jamie. Though their personalities were different, they shared a deep bond filled with laughter and a lovable, sarcastic sense of humor. They teased each other endlessly and found joy in the silliest moments together—even up to the end, with Sammey yelling to “back up!” because Jamie intently and annoyingly was too close to her – all in their unique way of showing love.

Sammey and Jamie treasured summers spent at their grandparents’ farm, swinging for hours on the biggest wooden swing under a huge tree, laughing, and always exploring new things on the farm.

Sammey lit up every room with her smile and laugh and was always the first to befriend someone new. No matter how popular she was, she made sure everyone felt seen and cared for. Petite in stature but strong and resilient, she was the life of the party. She was proud of her Mexican heritage and spent months in Mexico just to be with her dad, being adventurous together!

She also adored her niece, Ivy, and loved spending time with her—whether teaching her to plant or riding amusement park rides together, because she was always small enough to ride them.

Sammey enjoyed spending time and having a close bond with her mom; they loved thrift shopping together, watching cooking shows, and always searching for unique treasures together. Each year, they planted herbs and vegetables together. They took pride in cooking meals from their garden—even when the squirrels had helped themselves first.

She was one of the most thoughtful individuals. She mattered to everyone who got the privilege of knowing her. She will be missed more than anyone will ever know.

Survivors include her mother, Susan Aguilar of Austin; father, Hector Aguilar of Mexico; sister, Jamie Stethem of Minneapolis; niece, Ivy Gray; grandma, Carol Stethem of Austin; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandpa, Mitchel Stethem; paternal grandparents, Ventura and Estelle Aguilar; an aunt, Eloisa Aguilar; and an uncle, Ramon Aguilar.

A memorial service for Samantha will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home in Austin, Minnesota. The visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Austin Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.