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November 29, 1942 - September 17, 2021
It is with broken hearts that we share that our beloved Joan Margaret Campbell passed away after a brave and courageous battle with cancer. She was the heart of our family and deeply connected in our community- she will be profoundly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Joan was born and raised in Victoria, BC as the eldest daughter of Margaret Jessie Hodgson and Gordon Edward Harris, big sister to Veronica Ann and Barbara Elizabeth and later, after the death of her young mother, she was a caring step-daughter to Barbara Pritchard.
Joan was extremely smart and graduated from Oak Bay High in 1959 at the young age of 16. Joan loved to help people so it is not surprising that she pursued a career in nursing. She started her studies in her hometown of Victoria at the Jubilee Hospital before moving to Montreal to finish her nursing degree at McGill University.
While in Montreal, she met her first husband and while he finished his studies, she worked at the Montreal General as a nursing instructor in Maternal and Child Health. They eventually returned to the West Coast of Canada, first in Vancouver, BC before settling down in Nanaimo, BC.
They had three children together- Greg, Tim and Kate.
Joan remarried in 1985 to Donald James Campbell and lovingly welcomed his two children, Krista and Derek, into her life.
Joan had taken a break from her nursing career to focus on her family and the raising of her young children but as they grew her passion for helping shifted and she returned to school to study Child and Youth Care and then completed her Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology.
Joan shared her passion for life and for helping others in many roles including teaching counselling courses at Malaspina College (VIU), working as a Child and Youth Care Worker at Nanaimo District Secondary School and as a therapist with Nanaimo Family Life Association, Corporate Health Consultants and last but not least, she spent 31 years working with her dear colleagues, including her daughter Kate, at Marshall & Associates.
Joan was also extremely community minded and dedicated much of her free time to volunteer roles including board appointments with Malaspina College (VIU), Nanaimo Non-Violence Society, and her most favorite BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. Joan was such a pillar of strength, she continued in her role as past president with BCACC right up until a couple months before her passing.
Joan was a woman of faith and was an active member in her church community at Christ Community Church. It is hard to believe that she had time for much else but she also loved to sew, knit, read, and she was the most amazing home cook.
Above all though, she was dedicated to her family and had a very special connection with each of her children and all 10 grandchildren.
Joan's passing has left a huge void in the lives of those who loved her including her beloved husband of 36 years, Don Campbell; her children Greg Shea (Jolie), Tim Shea (Kirstie) and Kate Palmer (Matthew); her step-children Krista Campbell and Derek Campbell; grandchildren Denman, Mackenzie, Brady, Mowat, Morgan, Nico, Maese, Hudson, Audrey and Hadley; sisters Veronica (Arnie) and Barbie (Ray); cousins Sue and Pat as well as many nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues.
She will also be sorely missed by the countless individuals with whom she dedicated her life to helping.
Joan was the epitome of strength, determination, perseverance, kindness, generosity and grace. May the values that she embodied in her life continue to shine in all those with whom she touched.
The family would like to thank the amazing nursing staff at Nanaimo Community Health Services and those in NRGH's Palliative Care Unit. In lieu of flowers, we ask that contributions are made to the BC Cancer Foundation in Joan's name.
A small family service will be held in the coming weeks and a larger celebration of life will be planned once restrictions on gatherings have lifted.

Celebration of Life Get Together for Joan Campbell
Sunday, June 26, 2022
at the Brud Coffee House 1861 Dufferin Crescent, Nanaimo, BC,
From 2 pm to 4pm

Service Details

Celebration of Life
Sunday, June 26, 2022
2:00 PM
Brud Coffee House 1861 Dufferin Crescent, Nanaimo


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