Madeleine Marie Campbell

Madeleine Marie LeMaitre Campbell, 93, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2017. She wasb orn on October 8, 1923, in Algiers, Algeria to Charles Marie LeMaitre and Matilde Louise LeGoupil LeMaitre. Her childhood in Algeria was full of adventures. She loved telling friends and family her stories about her first drink in life being a teaspoon of champagne when she was born. She would share photos and stories of her baby lion cub she received as a gift for her 3rd birthday and would tell us all about her tennis lessons on the courts of her home in Algeria. She adored her older brother, Rene Charles who was 15 years her senior. Her brother had one son, Yves LeMaitre of France, whom Madeleine loved dearly. Yves and his family would visit Madeleine and Dave throughout her life and also travel Europe with Madeleine during her many trips there. It was a pleasure to have Yves and his family celebrate her 92nd birthday with her in Tallahassee.

Her father, Charles LaMaitre was an officer in the French Army. He served in the First World War and was decorated several times for valor particularly at Verdun, where he received the Legion d’Honneur. She shared stories and photos about her father crossing the Sahara Desert on a Camel’s back and how she stirred up controversy because she would later wear his medals of honor as a pendant on her clothing.

She met the love her life, David Campbell, in January 1943 in Algiers, Algeria, where David served in the United States Army Air Corps. David and Madeleine married in Algiers on August 31, 1944. She proudly shared copies of love letters, cards and handmade items that Dave made for her throughout their lives. They were a wonderful representation of what true love stood for. They had two daughters, Joelle and Darlene, that they admired and loved very much. Madeleine’s writings and stories of their childhood hobbies and interests, college years and life in Baton Rouge reflected how proud she was of her two girls. In 1953, David and Madeleine moved to Baton Rouge, where Madeleine quickly became involved in Louisiana’s French culture. Her first job was teaching French at St. Joseph’s Academy, a private all girl Catholic School. She even taught Kindergarten at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Baton Rouge which led her to many years of teaching French at Episcopal High School. During her time at Episcopal, she led 22 high school trips to Europe.

She was also very proud of her involvement and founding of L’Assemblee Francaise. She served 6 years as President of this organization, which helped people discover their French heritage and provided total immersion classes. L’Assemblee Francaise celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2013. Her French background also allowed her to become a French translator for the Air Force Reserve Unit. She was asked to provide translations for important documents, depositions and even for land bids in France and West Africa. She told of a story of having to provide a deposition on board a ship in the middle of the Mississippi River. The Captain of the ship was so smitten with her translating abilities he invited her to dinner and made her team a “devious” Greek Stew. This stew became one of her favorite recipes and something she continued to cook throughout her life. Even in retirement, Madeleine continued to teach, including teaching French to adult students in lagniappe courses and OLLI classes at LSU.

Upon moving to Tallahassee, we were always amazed by the multiple phone calls, cards and correspondence she continued to have with her past students and fellow teachers. She spoke of them often and how successful they had become. Many of her past students became her physicians in Baton Rouge and she loved telling all of her new Tallahassee doctors about them and that they had big shoes to fill. One past student, Laurie Brown, was a favorite of hers (and

of our family here in Tallahassee) because she would send Madeleine a King Cake every year during Mardi Gras season, which Madeleine graciously shared with her 4 great-granddaughters and their friends. Her continuous love of learning, reading and teacher others was a blessing to all that knew her and was obvious by the ongoing and longterm relationships she kept with so many that crossed her path.

Madeleine moved to Tallahassee in 2014 to be closer to her family. While in Tallahassee, Madeleine continued to explore her love of education, history and travel while taking OLLI courses offered by FSU. At times, the OLLI instructors at FSU probably wondered who was the teacher and who was the student. She also participated in local outings to Tallahassee landmarks and museums, attended some of her great-granddaughters’ school field trips and enjoyed knitting

classes, Senior luncheons and programs at St. Peter’s Anglican Church. She continued to grow her relationships with some local Tallahassee families. She would attend family-filled Easter brunches and Thanksgiving lunches with the Johnson Family. Our Christmas Eve dinners were always a treat for us and the Strickland Family as she read Christmas stories to the eight children that would gather around the couch, a book in one hand and her glass of wine in the other. The children adored her and the stories and tales she shared with them will never be forgotten.

Madeleine is preceded in death by her husband David, and is survived by her daughters Joelle Miller and Darlene Graham, and by three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Madeleine thanks her family and friends who left before her to be with the Lord, as well as those who will rejoin her at a later time. Her friendships and life stories with Christiane & Gilles, Lucille Barnett, Marie Studt, Sybil Batemen, Sybil Boizelle, the Benton Family, Julia Williams,

Father Ralph Howe and many, many others were so greatly cherished and were often talked about and shared with our family throughout the years. She expressed to us and wanted everyone to know how much she appreciates the knowledge and love that her friends and family gave throughout her life.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 9, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the youth ministry at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Tallahassee, Florida.

Arrangements under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, Tallahassee, FL.