Obituary of Melita Campbell

It was a cold and snowy day on January 15, 1939, when Iva (Yeo) and Avard Shaw met their beautiful daughter, Melita. She had the privilege of being born in her grandfather’s home in Knutsford, Prince Edward Island.  Mom spent her early years growing up on the Island and later moved to Passekeag with her siblings.  It is on the Island that Mom’s love of the ocean began.  She and her siblings had many wonderful times spent at the ocean.  Mom introduced all of us kids to the ocean too where we spent many summers visiting Big Salmon River and St. Martins.  Brother Leigh and dad fished Salmon while we played in the sawdust at the old mill and practiced skipping rocks in the Bay and enjoying campfires while roasting marshmallows and hotdogs every night and catching fireflies.  It was the simple things that made us smile. Our baby brother, Jonathan, was not born during these times as he came along when we were mostly all grown up, but we had other special times with our little bundle of joy and we were now spending time at our family camp which dad and the boys built on the Moosehorn.  Jonathan kept mom young and gave her new meaning.  It was wonderful to see our mother raise our baby brother because it gave us such insight as to how much she loved us and how we were nurtured.

Mom’s siblings are:  Lilla Cousins  (the late Emerson Cousins); The late Avard Shaw; Rosamond Eaves (Leonard);  the late Wayne Shaw;  Charles Shaw (Marie); The late Valerie Carson; Eric Shaw (Dorothy); Deborah Erwin (Donnie); Grant Shaw; Dean Shaw (Mary).

On April 4, another cold and stormy day, Melita gently passed away.  Softly and tenderly our savior gently arrived and carried her to her final home where she belongs.  When the time came, ten thousand angels wouldn’t have held her back because she was ready. She was longing to see her heavenly family.  We expect that mom is having a terrific  family reunion while being reunited with dad, her parents and siblings, her best friend, Marjorie, her special nephews  and other special relatives who have gone before her.  Oh what a party! Her journey on earth was complete.  She prepared her children and grandchildren for this time and although we were all sad to see her life come to a close, we graciously admitted that her earthly suffering must end and we are so grateful that we had the opportunity to say our final goodbyes and our , I love yous, and whatever else needed to be said in the last couple of days before she left.  It is sometimes difficult to see all five of your adult children in the same week let alone the same day, but we all gathered and mom was so pleased.  These touching moments are the ones that never grow old.  Right to the very end, our family was still bonding, bonding with our siblings and our children and new bonds with aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.  Mom made a lot of friends while living at the Snow Centre.  She was shown an abundance of love and care by residents and staff during her stay.  They had a lot of laughs with mom and many of her caregivers told us how lovely mom was and it was an honour to take care of her. Many of them had the opportunity to say their farewell too and express their sadness.  Our God is an Awesome God.  We were so blessed to have these precious moments.  He allowed us such a beautiful closure and we will always be grateful.

Mom was a natural beauty and like the Mary Tyler Moore theme song, “She could turn the world on with her smile.  She could take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile.”  She was special and she made us feel special.  She was born the second eldest of eleven children and so the love and care of family was innate.  She grew up with the love and care of her parents and her siblings and they had the greatest times and most fun because they always had a friend to hang out with, to confide in, or just get into mischief.

Melita met her beloved husband, Frederick Campbell, and they married and had us Campbell kids! Leigh Campbell, Curtis Campbell, Carolyn Burns (Malcolm), Beverly Smith (Michael), Jonathan Campbell (Amy).

Our mother wasn’t born into a wealthy family nor did she acquire wealth during her lifetime, but she was very, very rich for “who being loved is poor?” She was rich beyond measure.  We children and her grandchildren  were her pride and joy. As a grandmother and great-great grandmother, mom was just that!  She was grand, she was great, and her grandchildren would tell you she was Awesome. She was funny and her grandchildren would tell you that she kept them entertained. LOL!      The grandkids were all perfect, all special in their own special way and she got to know them all very well.  Some of her most fun times were with her grandchildren and it was fun to watch and learn from her so we can be the best grandparents to our grandchildren.

Mom’s Grandchildren are:  (Lisa Little (Bob); Kaleigh Campbell (Andrew); Kaitlin Campbell (Ben); Jamie Giberson (Eric);  Nicole Roy (Nathan);  Michael Campbell (Charmaine),  Aaron Burns (Justine);, Abigail Burns (Marie); Holly Anna Burns (Dan); Job Burns (Landan);  Olivia Campbell; Ava Campbell

Mom’s Great- Grand Children are: Jessica Little; Jena King; Jayden King; Alice Rourke; (Baby- to- be for Kaleigh.  The baby is due any day and we are told it is a girl and she will be named Lorali); Brady Giberson; Lucy Giberson; Ella Roy; Aubrey Roy; Bailey Campbell; Madelyn Campbell; Alexis Crane; Caden Burns; Jameson Burns; Mom’s  Great-Great Granddaughter is Delilah Little; her Great-Great Grandsons are Liam King and Jaxson King. Her Bonus Grandchildren are:  Ella McLaughlin-Moir; Joe McLaughlin-Moir;  Marley McLaughlin Moir; Stephen Smith; Alexandra Smith(Dylan); Her Bonus Great-Grandchildren are Freya Becker; Cohen, Emery, and Oliver Smith. 

Our matriarch was the most generous person in our lives.  She gave willingly and abundantly to the point where it seemed magical.  We were sometimes amazed by the way she could provide the many gifts bestowed during our lives.  More importantly, she taught us to be thankful and appreciative and to be happy with enough and to recognize the needs of others.  Mom was kind and she showed kindness by doing acts of service for her family, neighbors, friends and even strangers.  She was faithful and belonged to the Hampton United Church while she lived in Hampton and she later joined the Southfield United Church when she lived in Norton. She was as a servant in the Southfield Church by helping out with the annual smelt fish fry and by helping to keep the church clean.  Mom was a professional custodian and she took great pride in her work.   All of us Campbell kids went to work with mom from time to time at the Hampton Court House where she taught us our  work ethic.  She set the benchmark high and she was unbeatable in her league of professional custodians.  She expected perfection.  As kids, we could say that we could eat off our mother’s floors.  We always liked to know when mom was coming to visit our homes as adults so we could do her proud and have everything in order and shined up, hoping to pass “the white glove test”.  Honestly, she never judged us, but the work ethic had been instilled in each one of us.  We thank our mother for that.

Mom loved to hostess parties and was most hospitable to her guests. She was described as a good friend by anyone she befriended and she was easy to talk to.  We could tell mom anything and she took it all in stride. The same is true for all of her grandchildren.  They felt very comfortable just being their true selves; speaking openly and honestly and being able to express their emotions.  You never had to be phony around Nanny.  She loved unconditionally and she didn’t judge.  She forgave us graciously for our mistakes.

She was our first friend, our first teacher and she taught us all special lessons.  Some of our lessons are the same;  some were unique because not all children require the same guidance.  The lessons are special to us and we will always have those.  The moments we’ve shared as a family and individually are the best gifts our mother gave us.  They are not tangible yet they will always remain in our hearts and minds.

Just as we will no longer be able to reach out and touch our mother, we have a new way to feel her presence as she now lives in our hearts and minds and she will always be tucked in and whenever we need her, she will be right there, just like she was right next door. “You never really leave a place you love; part of it you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind.” Author unknown.

If you feel that you would like to do something in honour of mom, we suggest you do an act of kindness (Donor’s Choice)  in lieu of flowers, etc. because this is what our society really needs at this time and that would really light up mom’s beautiful smile.

Our mother loved to serve coffee, tea and food and loved gatherings, so we are going to honour her by having an old-fashioned wake at one of her favorite homes in Norton.  We hope you will drop in and have a cup of tea and a treat and share some of your special moments you had with mom and our families; perhaps share a hug, wipe a tear or share a great big belly laugh as we gather to celebrate the life of our beautiful lady, Melita.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Reid’s Funeral Home (506-832-5541), 1063 Main Street, Hampton, NB. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 9th from 2 to 8PM at the family’s home, 17 Church Street, Norton, NB. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 10th, 2024 at 1:00PM from Southfield United Church. Interment will follow at Southfield United Church Cemetery. Personal condolences to the family and charitable donations may be made through: ReidsFH.com

“We are not meant to see through each other, but to see each other through.” Author unknown