Kathleen Grace Wing

Other Events:

• Interesting: story
• Name: Kathleen Grace Campbell
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-151408

Notes:

KATHLEEN GRACE CAMPBELL
Matriarch, homemaker, bridge player, antique collector, reader. Born Oct. 15, 1912, in Berlin (Kitchener), Ont. Died Aug. 1 in Elora, Ont., of old age, aged 95.

ROSEMARY CAMPBELL submissions: lives@globeandmail.com November 24, 2008

Kathleen (Kay) Wing was the daughter of Wilford Earl Wing and Alma Eden Lewis. She attended high school in Kitchener, Ont., and White Plains, N.Y., where her father worked for Goodrich Rubber. She then went to the University of Toronto and Macdonald Institute in Guelph, Ont., where she met her future husband, Grant Campbell.

They married in 1933 and moved to his family farm just north of Moffat, Ont. Kay lived there for the next 50 years. Her first years after being thrown into the life of a farmer's wife were difficult. Once, she had to prepare a dinner for 25 threshers. She had no experience cooking for that number and was unfamiliar with country ways, so had to endure their derision for her shortcomings that day.

Over time, Kay became adept at making wonderful meals. She churned butter, strained milk, plucked chickens and made applesauce, pickles, preserves and bread. Her pies were legendary.

She also learned the way to survive in the country, which was to attend church and church functions. She was involved more for social acceptance than for religious reasons, but her faith helped her persevere in a difficult marriage in a lonely farmhouse. Her survival strategy was to avoid conflict, protect her children - Duncan, Douglas, Scott and Rosemary - and keep the daily routine as normal as possible. She did not complain or ask for sympathy.

Kay was never more proud than when she attended her children's graduations and weddings. Her insistence on proper etiquette and manners established attributes they follow to this day.

After the death of her husband in 1968, Kay became a competitive bridge player, travelling all over the world to play in bridge tournaments or visit her children. Kay also loved antiques.

In her last years, she amused nursing-home staff with her wit and candour. She was an avid reader, so when macular degeneration prevented her from reading, she would remember a favourite novel and go over the plot and characters in her mind. She said hallucinations kept her life interesting and relieved the boredom.

Gracious and dignified, Kay was a role model for how to live a positive, non-judgmental and fulfilling life in spite of hardship and sadness. She grew from a naive young girl to a thoughtful, sensible and loving mother, grandmother of 10 and great-grandmother of four. Her legacy will live on as her well-used recipes are brought out once again to prepare the pickles and applesauce she pioneered so lovingly for our family.

Rosemary Campbell is Kathleen's daughter.

Kathleen married Grant Campbell 1933. Grant was born Abt 1910; died 1968. [Group Sheet]