Mrs. Sandra Lillian Bromwich Campbell

Sandra was born to Herbert Frederick and Doris Lillian (nee Voisey) on August 17, 1944 in Toronto. Her Brother Timothy Edward followed in 1947. Sandra was a beautiful child with blonde hair and big blue eyes, looks that stayed with her and enchanted many in the years ahead. Her childhood was a happy one despite having to be separated from her mom who spent 12 months in a tuberculosis sanatorium in 1951. Sandra lived with a friend of the family during this time and had a lovely time. She had many happy memories of that year despite missing her mom and not seeing her dad as often. Always an independent little girl, Sandra’s year away from her folks likely reinforced this spirit and she henceforth followed her own path in life.

With the return home of mom, life was again very happy and Sandra grew up as a normal teenager with many friends and involved in the usual activities of youth. She was brought up in a Christian environment - baptised June 24, 1945, confirmed December 1, 1957, First Communion December 8, 1957 - and she latterly taught Sunday School.

In her later teen years, however, Sandra began seeking answers to questions around religion and faith. She attended services at other denominations and religious houses in her quest for answers. Given the times, it was not surprising that she was given none but was, rather, chided and exhorted to “have faith”. Sandra’s independence of mind and spirit gradually led her away from religious institutions and her spiritual beliefs from then on were personal.

By the time Sandra graduated from high school she had decided that she wanted to be a grade school teacher and enrolled at Toronto Teachers College, graduating in 1964. She was hired by the East York School Board and began teaching in the fall of ‘64. She loved teaching and was very accomplished in her new profession.

Prior to attending Teachers College Sandra was fortunate enough to be asked by her grandmother, Gladys Bromwich, to be a companion on a trip to visit relatives in England. Sandra was delighted to do so and after recovering from a rough crossing had an exciting time with her grandma. This trip whetted her appetite for more travel and in the next few years Sandra, with her close girl friends, travelled across Canada and the U.S. , and took a tour to Europe. In Europe in 1965 she had an epiphany on her 21st birthday. Her friends took her out for dinner where she had bifstek and frites accompanied by a bottle of St.

Emillion. Sandra recalled the taste of that wine for the rest of her life and it was, henceforth, her favourite.

In 1967 she and her friend Erin Hart took a one year sabbatical from teaching and set off for England and Europe. In the fall of 1967 after many great experiences they arrived in Campello near Alicante in Spain; there to overwinter in what they had heard was a travellers’ mecca. In October Colin Campbell and Don Leiper arrived with the same intentions. Despite being warned that the two fellows were probably gay, Sandra, who had seen the movie Wee Geordie and instantly decided that she wanted to marry a Scotsman, somehow found Colin attractive and despite language difficulties (Colin spoke with a strong Scottish accent), she enjoyed his company. Colin was almost immediately head over heels in love with this ravishing creature but, convinced that she could never find him attractive, usually terminated conversations by “spinning off” clutching his Norman Mailer “Armies of the Night”.

Fate intervened when Erin and Don decided that it would be a great idea if they all travelled together across North Africa. This was the impetus for Colin to launch a tipsy declaration of love and, miracle of miracles, Sandra reciprocated. From that day on Sandra and Colin loved each other with increasing depth as the years passed.

Colin cut short his travels with Don who nobly forgave him and, following a wine fuelled ultimatum to either “come see me as promised or let’s move on with our lives” hastily scampered to Canada to his beloved Sandra. Colin proposed marriage in April and they were married on June 28, 1969 in Toronto. The Campbell family, who had met Sandra in London before she returned to Canada, were overjoyed. They had fallen in love with Sandra and saw in her the “saving” of the somewhat aimless Colin. They were right. She was a fully mature and adult person. She was clear eyed about who she was and what she believed in and she had no doubts about how she intended to conduct herself through life. She was loyal, loving, kind, generous, passionate and strong willed while also having a great sense of fun and a zest for enjoying her existence.

Early life together took them to Sudbury and Vancouver with life long friends made along the way. On August 30, 1971 Sandra gave birth to her first daughter Nahanni Fiona and quickly became an accomplished and adoring mother. In 1972 Sandra, Nahanni and Colin returned to Toronto where they lived until 1996. Sandra returned to teaching as a supply teacher until her second daughter, Tamara Amanda, was born on March 17, 1975.

During the ensuing years Sandra was a model mother bringing up Nahanni and Tamara to be strong, independent, moral, kind, generous, thrifty and outgoing young women each of whom formed a wide circle of friends. As she nurtured and guided them through their growing years she displayed a wonderful ability to gauge when it was time to loosen the apron strings and encourage their independence although the girls didn’t always agree with her timing! Then she would remain firm but explain to them the reasons for her decision.

Over the years, through good times and bad, Sandra was the bedrock on which the family prospered. She worked outside the home when the situation demanded it, and quickly took over the running of the family accounts after Colin’s short-lived efforts at keeping the cheque book balanced! Throughout their marriage Sandra and Colin were a tight team and she was always a source of advice, a mentor and supporter to Colin in his erratic career path. She never wavered in her support of him even when it cost her dearly in emotional terms. She was the voice of reason, the one to whom the family always turned for thoughtful advice. Her ability to see issues clearly and to suggest the best course of action ensured that the girls and Colin always felt confident in taking that advice.

One of the more selfless things that Sandra did was to share with Colin in sponsoring the immigration of his sisters Lorna and Vicky and her girls in the summer of 1978. With their arrival and the visit of mum and dad Campbell, Fran and Mohamed and David, the small townhouse was full to bursting. Sandra was, of course, well prepared and cemented her reputation as a miracle worker by coping with cooking, shuttling and entertaining without raising a sweat. She became a dearly loved member of the clan and Sandra returned that love in kind.

Sandra was also a very generous person. Over the years she was the first to suggest helping, with time or money, someone in need be it foster children through Parent Plan International, various charities, friends or family members. Colin naturally agreed but it was Sandra who first recognised the need and suggested helping. Such was her outlook and compassion for the less fortunate or those in need of timely assistance.

Sandra had many outside interests. For many years she enjoyed curling with her friends. Bridge was a game she loved in a social setting although she was a better player than Colin and could have been a competitive player. She played some tennis in the early years but her inability to perspire made strenuous summer activities more of a trial than a pleasure. She loved camping and the family spent most summer vacations under canvas. Gaspe and Mount Desert Island were favourite destinations where early chilly breakfasts were followed by long hikes before the girls were rewarded with time at the beaches. These holidays at an early age turned both girls into outdoor enthusiasts and both still love camping and hiking.

In addition to lifelong pleasure derived from reading, Sandra enjoyed opera, film and music. She had taken grade three music and grade eight theory and, when teaching, played at school assemblies and for the choir. Over the years she played rarely at home mainly because of a lack of time. She more than made up for this by becoming a great cook and could effortlessly turn out meals in no time. Whether feeding three or thirty she seemed to float around the kitchen in a smooth and unhurried way before producing handsome looking and delicious meals. There were many happy times around the kitchen and dining room tables as a family or at grander, gourmet celebrations.

Sandra’s love of travel was shared by Colin and they both were fortunate in being able to take a number of trips to Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Britain, Morocco, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, New Zealand and Australia. The preferred mode was by rental car, having the freedom to travel at will stopping at places that caught their attention. Portugal and Australia were favourites and plans were made to return to both countries in the future. It was not to be.

In 1989 Sandra and Colin bought their house near Warsaw just east of Peterborough and, following renovations, used it as a vacation and weekend house until moving there in 1995 after the girls had left home to strike out on their own. The house became a loved project with a number of improvements made over the years. Sandra derived enormous pleasure from decorating it, and displaying works of art, sculpture and pottery throughout. Gardening became a much loved pastime. Sandra devoted her time to the flower beds while Colin concentrated on the vegetable patch; an overabundance of produce often kept Sandra busy in the kitchen making preserves.

After moving to Warsaw Sandra suggested to a reluctant Colin that they take a fling at Scottish country dancing which she had tried in Lismore when visiting Margaret and Duncan Black. This turned out to be one of her best suggestions ever. Both she and Colin loved it from the start and joined the Peterborough Scottish Country Dance Society. There they met a large group of wonderful people who became close and very dear friends. With them a very active social life outside dancing opened up and over the years great fun and laughter was the rule.

In the meantime Tamara and Nahanni were moving on with their lives and after some years they were fortunate to meet and fall in love with wonderful men. Tamara met Ryan at university and after an extended “courtship” they married in 2000. In 2004 their first son Benjamin was born soon followed by Tristan in 2006. Sandra was overjoyed by these events and lavished affection on her grandsons for as long as she was able. Nahanni, after much travel, finally returned to Vancouver and met Paul. Again a lengthy “courtship” ensued. They married in October 2008 to Sandra and Colin’s great joy. The girls’ choice of partners could not have pleased Colin and Sandra more and Sandra felt a great sense of peace knowing that her girls were in happy relationships with men who loved and would treasure their wives. Sandra felt that she had done her best for them and it had turned out well - she had done a good job and could rest easy in that knowledge.

Sandra and Colin’s life together was one full of love, passion, companionship and lots of laughter. They were totally at ease with each others company and spent virtually every hour together during the last 18 years. They were proud of having been such a successful team and felt that, overall, they had been very fortunate in life, starting with their serendipitous meeting. When reflecting on their life together, Colin was frequently amazed that Sandra had fallen in love with him but he finally realised that, despite her disappointment at his lazy use of profanity, she loved him unreservedly. He, in turn, adored and admired her.

In 2005, when ovarian cancer first struck her, Sandra faced up to things, had her surgery, her chemo and got on with life determined to enjoy it while she could. For the next year and a half life was wonderful and Sandra enjoyed family, friends, the arrival of Tristan and a wonderful vacation in France. She was totally surprised when the cancer returned in 2007. Again she faced up to it with courage knowing this time that there would be no cure but, at best, temporary remission. She endured many courses of chemo, inumerable scans, a lot of pain and a slow decline in her physical well-being. Never once did she complain or give up hope. She continued with life as best she could. In early 2008 Sandra arranged for a surprise 65th birthday party for Colin which was a huge success. Despite having had chemo only three days prior she was full of life, beautiful and so relieved that it had been pulled off. As always her greatest pleasure was in making others happy.

In October 2008 Nahanni and Paul were married at the farmhouse and Sandra was able to rally her strength to fully participate in the event. She was thrilled that Nahanni and Paul had decided to marry earlier than previously anticipated and was grateful that they had done it for her.

In November it was obvious that none of the treatments Sandra was receiving were working and that all options had run out. When Colin told her the news it was clear that Sandra had already anticipated the news and was prepared for it. There were few tears on her part. She was calm, unafraid, felt that she had led a fulfilling life and was able to comfort those around her who grieved. Her one regret was not seeing her beloved grandchildren grow up. Her last few weeks were marked by an outpouring of love from her friends and from all the family. She was never alone and often had ten or more people in the room. As she slowly weakened she was greatly comforted by the knowledge that she was admired and loved by so many.

On November 20, 2008 Sandra quietly and peacefully died surrounded by her family and with Colin holding her hand.