Julie Ann Campbell

Campbell, Julie Ann, age 79, cherished mother, wife, nana, mother-in-law, daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, and friend died peacefully Friday morning August 30, 2024. Julie was born January 1, 1945, in Central City, Kentucky. Preceding Julie in death was her beloved husband of 52 years John Howard Campbell, and her affectionate/devoted parents George Calvin and Martha Nell (Gwinn) Thalman. Julie is survived by her two much loved brothers and sister in laws, Tim and Paula Thalman of Hilton Head, SC and Steve and Jenny Thalman of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dearly loved son and daughter in law Johnny and Laura Campbell of Hilton Head, SC, and adored daughter and son in law Susie and Mike Maurer of Hilton Head, SC., and six treasured grandchildren Logan and Jacob Maurer, and Kristi, Katie, Connor, and Courtney Campbell, and many special cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Julie graduated from Belmont High School in Dayton Ohio in 1963. She made many long-time friends and could kick them high as a Belmont Bison Belle-ette! Julie studied at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and earned her bachelor’s degree in education and later went on to obtain her master’s in special education at Wright State University. After graduating from Miami University in 1967 Julie accepted a short-term first grade substitute teaching job that spring at Wilson Elementary School in Washington Court House. Little did Julie know at the time but the retired teacher’s class she took over for was her principal, John’s, Aunt Clara’s room. The rest is history! Julie and John were married on November 22, 1967, in Dayton, Ohio at Eastmont United Methodist Church. Julie was a member of Eastmont United Methodist and later a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Kettering. Julie and John lived in Dayton after getting married and Julie taught at Saville Elementary School in Mad River. In 1973, Julie and John, Johnny, and Susie moved to Kettering, Ohio. At this time, Julie decided to take a break from teaching to become the best mom ever to her children. She became a volunteer at the schools, picked and canned fruits and vegetables with the neighbors, loved to sew just about anything, loved the family dog Bridgette, organized corn roasts and played lots of tennis at Crestwood swim club, sold Avon, taught preschool at Little Red School House in Kettering and then at Step Ahead Preschool in Beavercreek, and worked at Elder Beerman in the coat department. But Julie’s favorite job was being a safe place called home for Johnny and Susie after school, an empathetic listening ear, a warm smile, a gentle hug, and encouraging words. Being kind, genuine, sweet, forgiving, and beautiful to all around her. She spent many days driving Johnny to practices and games and cheering him on at Fairmont and UD, taking Susie shopping, to see grandparents and friends. And in between, mowing the grass, doing the dishes, laundry, finances, shoveling snow, cleaning gutters, and changing the brakes on the car. She did all this eloquently with grace and love. When Julie’s children went off to college Julie started teaching at Fairborn City Schools in 1990. She taught 5th grade special education at Palmer South and retired in 2014. Julie had a true passion for school, reading, learning, books, right down to back-to-school shopping, school supplies, and getting her classroom ready for another year. Being a teacher brought Julie so much joy and she had a positive impact on the lives of all her students. Julie was a proud member of the international teacher sorority Alpha Delta Kappa.

However, the true apple of Julie’s eye were her 6 grandchildren. She loved spending time with them, on many memorable Hilton Head vacations, Santa brunches, NCR pool fun, writing the Thanksgiving play and watching them perform it, raising monarch butterflies and releasing them, picking strawberries and blueberries, tracking down the grandkids Hallmark Christmas ornament for their series, kickball, wiffleball, tons of games watched (many championships and defeats) and played together, and lots of holiday traditions shared and memories made. Julie spent much of the week getting her weekend grandkid game calendar together to fit as many of the grandkid games in as she could. Even if it meant going to ten games in a weekend! She will continue to be their # 1 fan! Julie loved sports. She bowled in a Wednesday Woodman Lanes bowling league after she retired and played tennis for years at Quail Run. She loved watching the Reds games with her family on a warm summer’s night cheering away, watching the Cavs and cheering for Lebron, watching The Ohio State Buckeyes football games in the fall. She loved watching the UD flyers and Luke Kennard. In Julie’s 79 years she has made unforgettable memories with her family whether it be walking with Susie around the yard on a beautiful spring/summer day checking out her flowering trees, budding tulips, her mom and dad’s pink blooming rose bushes, seeing her daisies, pansies, lilacs, and lilies; to spending 7 hours in the queue at Wimbledon; to getting together often for some of Julie’s favorites ribs and crab legs, prepared by her favorite chef, Mike; to being a fun travel partner to Johnny and Laura on too many fantastic trips to name; to taking the grandkids to putt putt golf at Indian Trail; to teaching tennis lessons to the grandkids in the circle with the old tennis rackets; to table tennis tournaments on the island; to the many walks together to the park, creek, and around the neighborhood; to all the card games, holiday home parades, trips to Starbucks for Julie’s well known latte; to all the fun had singing and listening together to the songs Nana loved most, especially Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and John Denver; to Nana being the family kickball permanent pitcher, to using the Fat Albert bat only Nana could use, and to all the nights that we all ended up at UDF for ice cream(remember Nana’s favorite, peach in July:)!

Julie was never too busy to talk for a while, to notice the flowers, the butterflies, the red bird, the green grass, the warm breeze, the hummingbird, and the sunset. Julie had a special knack for always making everyone feel like someone special. Julie lit up our lives with her energy and smile. And for that we know that we are truly the lucky ones! As Julie’s favorite words became, I love you and you love me!

An incredible thank you to all of Julie’s caregivers who have helped us travel this journey, Terry, Brandon, Ryan, Evan, Neemah, and Alaina. A heartfelt thank you to Crescent Hospice, and to The Benton House of Bluffton for the patience, love, and care you gave to Julie. We appreciate you Pinny, Sharon, Keena, Jackie, and the A team CNA’s. You are the BEST.

Arrangements entrusted to Island Funeral Home, in Hilton Head, SC where the family will hold a funeral service September 9, 2024, at 11am officiated by Pastor Jonathan Tompkins.

On September 13, 2024, in Dayton, Ohio the family will hold a visitation from 12:30-2:30 at David’s Cemetery in the mausoleum chapel, with a graveside service immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association by going to their website at www.act.alz.org