Janice C. CampbellJanice C. Campbell, age 100, and a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County, passed away on Saturday, June 5, 2021, at 6:18 p.m. in Miller’s Merry Manor Assisted Living where she’s lived since 2010.
Born on Aug. 3, 1920, near Leesburg, to Charles and Blanche E. Kirkendall Parson, she attended schools in Oswego and Leesburg. She graduated from Leesburg with the class of 1938 and, on Jan. 29, 1939, she was married to Homer Campbell in Leesburg. The pair lived near Atwood where they raised their family. Homer served in the Navy during World War II and they shared more than 73 years together before he passed on June 11, 2012.
Janice enjoyed sewing, gardening, flowers and children. Her love of children showed in the amount of time spent babysitting for relatives especially during WWII. She enjoyed traveling and was able to spend an entire week in Hawaii, took a boat trip to Mexico and a motor home trip to Alaska. She also enjoyed trips to Michigan in the spring to hunt for mushrooms. Winters were spent in either Southern Texas, Arizona or Florida.
Wonderful memories were created while traveling by rail from the depot at the west end of Leesburg to Peru to visit relatives; also making stops at the Harley Grocery Store, the Metz Drug Store, the Kelly and Dye Funeral Home, the doctors; C. Thomas and P.G. Germier and the Saturday night sugar drawings.
Janice was very interested in county history, especially since her great-great-uncle was Isaac Kirkendall, the first sheriff of Kosciusko County. She remembers buying articles in the Oswego Store, which is now the Pound Store, one of the oldest businesses in the county and part of the County Historical Society.
Janice is survived by her three children: son, Daniel (Linda), of Fort Wayne; Sharilyn Anthony, of Clearwater, Fla.; and Nancy Campbell, of Fort Wayne; two granddaughters: Kristi (Rick) Harding, of San Marcos, Calif.; and Kimberly (Shawn) Patterson, of Fort Wayne; along with five great-grandchildren: Cole, Madalyn and Cade Patterson and Sophia and Charlotte Harding; and one great-great-grandson.
She was preceded in death by a grandson, Blake Stevens; a son-in-law; her parents; a sister, Crystal Niebert; and two brothers: Forest and Claire Parson.
A Life Celebration is planned with Titus Funeral Home, 2000 E. Sheridan St., Warsaw, where the family will receive friends on Thursday, June 10 beginning at 10 a.m. At 12 p.m., Hospice Chaplain John Schrock will officiate Janice’s funeral service. Burial will take place at Wooden/Harrison Center Cemetery.
*****
Those wishing to express their sympathy may give to Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice whose gentle care was much appreciated in Janice’s final days.
Written condolences may be left for the family at www.TitusFuneralHome.com.
