Colleagues remember Mary Campbell
One of Rehoboth Beach's dedicated volunteers was honored at the April 13 special meeting of the Rehoboth Beach commissioners.
The commissioners observed a moment of silence remembering Mary Campbell, who died March 25 with her family at her side.
Campbell, 93, was chairwoman of the city’s planning commission for nearly a decade, from 1994 to 2003. She also volunteered at the Henlopen Acres Beach Club and Rehoboth Art League.
Former planning Commissioner Mabel Granke said Campbell always tried to make sure the city was going in the right direction.
“She cared deeply about the city and wanted it to be the best it could be,” Granke said.
She said Campbell was a good friend who was always there to help someone in need. Campbell was a very private person, Granke said, but one who expected her fellow commissioners to be prepared, work hard and do a job that would be of lasting benefit to the city.
“She was a very caring person,” Granke said. “If she knew you were upset, she was only too willing to take the time to try to help.”
Granke said Campbell took great pride in her Oak Avenue home, and while she kept her personal life private, she talked a great deal about her grandchildren.
“I was glad to work with her,” Granke said.
Born Mary Cotton in Fort Smith, Ark., Campbell grew up in Oklahoma before eventually moving to Washington, D.C. There, she worked for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II and met her husband, Jim Campbell. The Campbells were frequent travelers; Jim worked for Esso Standard Oil and served as a U.S. ambassador. They began coming to Rehoboth in the mid-1950s and eventually made it their home.
Mayor Sam Cooper said appointed Campbell to the planning commission because of her deep love of Rehoboth. He described Campbell as having a proper and ladylike personality that masked a person who was very determined.
Commissioner Patrick Gossett began his public career under Campbell as a planning commissioner. He said he considered Campbell a mentor who had a high sense of morals and ethics. Gossett said Campbell was good at maintaining decorum and keeping things on track.
Gossett said Campbell taught him how to listen to people and get both sides of the story during meetings. He said Campbell had a great deal of respect for people and only judged people on their morals and values. Gossett also recalled that Campbell loved to tell stories about her travels around the world.
"It's a great loss for the community," Gossett said.
Campbell is survived by her three children, Mimi, Jamie and Margaret and had three grandchildren. She will be buried in All Saints’ Cemetery at St. George’s Chapel. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 2 at St. George’s Chapel in Lewes.
