Remembering Samantha Freeman Barnum: Tylertown Woman, 33, Honored by Her Family After Fatal Highway Crash

Samantha Freeman Barnum of Tylertown, Mississippi, died at 33 in a 2025 Highway 98 collision. Her obituary remembers her love of family, stained-glass art, fishing and hunting, and identifies the relatives who survive her.

The Tylertown, Mississippi, community continues to remember Samantha Freeman Barnum, who died on October 20, 2025, at the age of 33 following a collision on U.S. Highway 98 in Pike County. Her death brought profound sadness to her husband, parents, sisters, nephews and extended family.

Born on June 28, 1992, in McComb, Mississippi, Samantha was the daughter of Troy Freeman and Juanita Smith Freeman. Her life and interests are remembered in an obituary published by Hartman-Hughes Funeral Home, which also provides a detailed account of her surviving relatives.

Samantha Freeman Barnum’s Life and Interests

Samantha enjoyed creating stained-glass artwork, fishing and hunting. Her obituary describes spending time with her husband, Preston Barnum, her three dogs—Huk, Sadie and Delta—and her nephews, Raiden and Caspian, as some of her greatest joys.

Christmas was especially meaningful to her. She enjoyed carefully wrapping presents and decorating them with large glitter bows, a tradition that reflected the personal attention she gave to celebrating with loved ones.

Her family and church community were also important parts of her life. These memories remain part of the tribute shared by those who knew her.

Fatal Highway 98 Collision in Pike County

The Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal two-vehicle collision on U.S. Highway 98 in Pike County at approximately 9 a.m. on October 20, 2025.

Authorities said Samantha was driving a 2019 Nissan Altima when it collided with a 2017 Mack garbage truck. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The garbage truck’s driver and passenger sustained injuries that were described as non-life-threatening.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol investigated the collision. The public reports reviewed did not establish a final determination of the cause.

Surviving Family Members Remember Samantha

According to her funeral-home obituary, Samantha was survived by:

• Husband: Preston Barnum.

• Parents: Troy Freeman and Juanita Smith Freeman.

• Sisters: Alexandria “Allie” Williams, married to Tanner Williams, and Emily Freeman.

• Nephews: Raiden Williams and Caspian Williams.

• Parents-in-law: Scott Barnum and Angel Barnum.

• Sisters-in-law: Rainie Rawls, married to Trey Rawls, and Averie Barnum.

• Grandparents: Joel Smith and Barbara Wood Smith.

• Grandparents-in-law: Glenn Hartzog and Kathy Hartzog.

The obituary also acknowledges Samantha’s aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and other loved ones. It separately records that she was preceded in death by her grandfather, James Freeman; grandmother, Nadine Freeman; great-grandmother, Lessie Jo Smith; and cousin, Logan Shaughnessy.

This fuller list helps clarify that her surviving family extended beyond the husband, parents, sisters and nephews mentioned in shorter online tributes.

Family Fundraiser Established in Her Memory

Following Samantha’s death, her sister Alexandria Freeman organized a GoFundMe campaign titled In Memory of Samantha Freeman Barnum. The fundraiser explained that donations were intended to support Preston as he faced the loss of his wife.

The appeal also expressed appreciation for the kindness and financial support offered by relatives, friends and other donors during a difficult time.

Funeral and Burial Arrangements

Samantha’s visitation and funeral service took place at Calvary Temple Pentecostal Church in Tylertown on October 24 and 25, 2025. The funeral service was held on October 25, with burial afterward at Wood Cemetery.

Hartman-Hughes Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Disclaimer

The biographical details and surviving-family information in this article are drawn primarily from Samantha’s funeral-home obituary. The fatal collision is separately supported by Mississippi news reports citing information from the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

The publicly available reports reviewed do not establish a final cause for the crash, so no specific driver action or contributing circumstance is presented as fact.

Samantha’s memory lives on through her family, friends and the many personal moments they shared. Heartfelt condolences go to Preston Barnum, the Freeman and Barnum families, and everyone mourning her loss.