Alice Marie Smith Campbell
Alice Marie Smith Campbell
Luther, Mich.
Alice Marie (also known as Alicia) Campbell died on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the age of 77, after a short but fierce battle with cancer. She was born Alice Marie Smith on June 6, 1945, in Ladora, Iowa, to Emma Kozishek of Williamsburg, and William J. Smith of Millersburg. She was raised on farms in Iowa County along with her eight siblings. The family moved to Marengo, Iowa, in 1958. She graduated from Iowa Valley Community High School (IVHS) in 1964. She loved learning and all things school. At the age of 13, Alice knew her chosen career would be in education. She came back to Marengo to visit at every opportunity and for her class and school reunions and family reunions. She had a vision of life and pursued it to the end.
She was a 1964 graduate of Iowa Valley Community High School in Marengo, Iowa. Alice graduated from Ottumwa Heights Jr. College for Women in 1966. She continued her education at Central Michigan University earning her B.A. in Elementary Education in 1969. The next year she completed her M.A. at CMU in Elementary Education, and in 1974 completed another MA in K-12 Counseling.
Alice began her teaching career at St. Joseph’s School in Auburn, Michigan, on a provisional certificate while completing her studies at CMU. In 1969, she began teaching in the Midland Public Schools. In 1983 she joined a committee to develop Midland’s first elementary counseling program and was later hired as its first counselor.
Alice had a heart for the young child, understanding their joys and fears; always looking to enhance their world with kindness, respect and happiness in her work with them. She always said, “I like to be happy,” and applied that happiness in her work.
Alice married Joseph Bazzy in 1981. He preceded her in death. She married Dr. Barry Campbell in 1984. He preceded her in death in 2022. Together they raised his two daughters, whose mother had died young. She and her husband retired in 1994 to his hometown of Luther, Michigan. In 1994 Alice returned to work for the Pine River Area Schools for seven years in elementary counseling before retiring again in 2005.
Alice was a faith filled member of St. Brigid’s Church in Midland and St. Ignatius Church in Luther. She took joy in serving as a liturgist, training lectors, and readying the Church for different liturgical seasons. She enjoyed nature with gardening, birding and cutting wood with her husband on their acreage. Her favorite bird was the Eastern Bluebird, and she enjoyed tending her string of 50 Bluebird boxes throughout the year.
Her favorite retirement role was that of “Grammie” to her six grandchildren: Campbell, Anson, Emerson, McKinley, Weston and Hudson. She treasured each of them with all her heart and found the greatest joy in her time with them. The children loved especially “watching” summer thunderstorms that Grammie enjoyed so much.
Alice is survived by her two daughters, Kristen Campbell and Kathryn (Doug) Jones; and her six grandchildren. Surviving siblings and sisters-in-law are Phyllis V. Schmidt of Anchorage, AK; William Stanley Smith (Barbara) of Secaucus, NJ; Kathleen Mary Smith Pustarfi of New York City, NY; Herman Philip Smith (Linda) of Belton, TX; Thomas Jacob Smith (Tuti) of Riverside, CA; and Faye Anne Smith Bates of Santa Fe, NM.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William John and Emma Mae Kozishek Smith; and siblings, Sharon Irene Smith Hoffmann, Barbara Ann Smith Heck and Carroll John Schmidt nee Smith.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Luther, MI. Burial was in North Park Cemetery, Luther MI. Donations may be made in her name to Luther Area Library or St. Ignatius Catholic Church, both on State Street, Luther MI 49656.
