Anita Campbell welcomed me to Howard School of Academics and Technology in the fall of 2006. We became fast friends once we were assigned as homecoming parade organizers, it was set in stone that we would be forever friends. We shared so many laughs about how clueless we were (as parade organizers) but comforted ourselves with knowing our hearts were in the right place. Anita’s kind heart and quick wit made her easy to love. 
Today, as I remember Anita, on many occasions we shared countless conversations about the mysteries of life and  pondered how to make the world a better place. What stands foremost in my mind is her unwavering love for the students who she came to know and love. On many occasions as I walked into the library, Anita would eagerly point out a new student who she wanted me to meet. Just this past spring, she found Mario or Mario found her, but that was a very good day for him. You see, once you landed on Anita’s roster you were permanently “her kid!” As I visited her bedside during the past few months, we were still talking about her kiddos. She spoke about Mario and others, but certainly about Ray Kennemer who she had added to her life and considered as family. 
Thank you Anita, your work here is done, but your legacy lives on through the many lives you have touched. Thank you for being a true friend and an inspiration to others.

Our hearts are heavy with sorrow, our souls seeking solace, to honor and remember a life that was cut short.
   Anita was a lover of books. She believed in the power of words, the magic of stories, the wisdom of lessons. Her love for books was not just a hobby, it was her way of life.
    She was a librarian by profession, but her influence extended far beyond the four walls of a schoolhouse. She didn’t just teach lessons from textbooks, she taught lessons of life. Patience, kindness, empathy, courage – these were the tenets she lived by, and instilled in everyone around her.
    A librarian’s wisdom is not measured by the books they’ve read, but by the lives they’ve touched and the minds they’ve shaped.
    And lives she did touch. She bought many a child a coat, gave money for their meals. Helped with their lessons, and if she didn’t know the subject, she’d call the students teacher and seek their assistant in order for that child not to be left behind.
    Her kindness and generosity didn’t stop when the last bell rung, she even brought a homeless student home to live with her. She got the student a job and then drove her to/from the job.
    She befriended and helped Ray Kennemer get his CDL License, along with helping him get his Used Car business license. Anita mentored  him through difficult times and even called him her adopted son.
    Anita Campbell “walked the walk”, she believed in the mantra, “Kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” And there was many a fortunate child that experienced an educator who went above and beyond to ensure that they had their best chance to graduate and be a success story.
    As each of us bid our farewell’s to Anita, we are not just saying goodbye, but thank you. Thank you, Anita, for your guidance, for your support, for your wisdom. Thank you for the lessons, for the memories, for the inspiration. Thank you for being a mentor, a colleague, a friend.
                          James Allen

On behalf of the RBHS class of 1966, our deepest sympathy. God bless Anita and her family.

OBITUARY

Anita Campbell

August 10, 1948 – August 31, 2024

Advantage Funeral & Cremation Services – Franklin-Strickland Chapel

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