Patricia “Patty” Campbell

It is with deep love and gratitude that we announce the passing of Patricia K. Campbell, at the age of 92 in Burnsville, MN.

Patty was born September 28, 1932 to Robel F. Wanke and Hazel R. Wanke (Walker) in Rockford, IL. On July 28, 1951, she joyously married "Red" Jere M. Campbell, in Rockford, IL. Their greatest joy was having two kids, and then marveled at having two grandchildren ten days apart.

Patty had attended Cherry Valley Elementary, Lincoln Middle School and graduated from East High School.

She lived a full life filled with grace, strength and unwavering devotion to her family. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, she was the heart of her family and a nurturing spirit.

Patty worked at Mike's Cafe in CV, sharing her love of herbs and spices and tweaking recipes. She went on to work in the kitchen at Guilford H.S. for several school years. She worked for years and retired from the kitchen at Marshall Fields.

Patty loved when Jere was hired to work as their Breakfast With Santa position at Marshall Fields at the same time. They got to see each other at work and she would often make him something special to eat from their kitchen. She loved to feed her family and friends her favorite dishes and had the very best pies. Patty volunteered at CVUMC and was on all of the different committees at some point along with Jere. Together they sang in the church choir. Patty was proud of Jere being the church soloist and had an eternal flame placed directly above his chair in the choir loft in the sanctuary, in Jere's honor. It seemed they were always in the church kitchen, too. Patty loved working at the CV Historical Society and helped put together a monthly newsletter. She was part of the cemetery committee in CV and wanted to make sure all of it was well maintained; our family and friends are buried there. She looked to the future for a place for cremains, there.

Patty was an artist. She sewed and made clothes and tailored her own to fit. She made a few quilts as gifts and made dish rags, decorative cloth ruler holders, toaster cozies, pot holders and decorative cloth plastic bag holders. She made a beautiful copper rooster that she proudly hung above her stove. Patty made ceramics, lots of lovely yard pieces, ducks, geese, turtles, deer and fawns. There are wool braided rugs, all sizes made with grandma out of grandpa's wool pants. She kept an organized house and garage. Her keen interior design was amazing, she loved pulling rooms together and decorating.

Patty will be missed by those who loved her most - her children, Craig (Meg Babits) Campbell of Manhattan, MT and Kitty Campbell of Bloomington, MN. Her grandchildren, Aileen (Nick Kotasek) Knecht of Bloomington, MN and Claude Campbell of Beaverton, OR. Her sister in-law Mary Wanke and the many nieces and nephews.

Patty and Red will take great solace in knowing that in their next stage they will be together, with baby Eugene M. Campbell, Jere's baby brother and with all of their late siblings. Ruth (Les) Meckler, Shirley (Ray) Szeluga, Adair (Ed) Saxe, Robel (Rosemary) Wanke, Harold (Betty) Wanke, and Richard Wanke. Barry, Beverly and Bryce Alberts and Mike and Patty Wanke. Also, "Babe" Claude and Irene Campbell, Jere's parents and life-long friends.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 10:30 at the Cherry Valley United Methodist Church, 112 S Cherry St, Cherry Valley, IL 61016. Refreshments will be provided in the Fellowship Hall following internment at the Cherry Valley Cemetery.