Marcia Simmons Campbell

Death is not the opposite of life, but rather, a part of it. Marcia Campbell lived life deeply. A loving mother, steadfast sister, invigorating leader, and loyal friend, Marcia was a hero to us all. Her charm and elegance wrapped those around her in a cocoon of fire and dazzling beauty. She was the kind of friend with a gift for pulling out your inner free spirit—to know her, was to love her. Fittingly, love, was something her life had in great abundance. Born 1956 in St. Andrew, Jamaica, to mother, Cecilia Stewart, Marcia was the eldest of four siblings (Micheal, Andrew, and Denise). Marcia and her siblings migrated to the United States (Brooklyn, NY) in 1972 where they settled into a microcosmic incarnation of the Caribbean, and planted seeds that would bear fruit of deep friendships and great adventures for years to come. Marcia had a deep love affair with music, cinema, and dance. Soundtracked by the sounds of reggae music throughout the decades, Marcia met and married Garfield Campbell June 7th, 1985. Married for 8 years, the couple had 3 children during their time together (Anthony Campbell, Brittany Campbell, and Shayne Campbell). Marcia was a dedicated single mother to her children. A matriarch and pillar for the entire family. For her children, she ingrained the gift of dreaming without limits within them. She passed on a belief that there is no limit to what they could do in this world. She fettered a flair for business, and artistic talent in her children and her presence and guidance will live on through them and her loved ones forever. Not only was she beloved amongst family, but also in the work place. She spent over 30 years operating as Director of Fiscal Affairs in the Housing Preservation Department of NYC. There, she fostered lasting friendships and relationships with her coworkers, and she took great pride in the work did throughout her career. Marcia would often describe herself as someone with “Peter Pan Syndrome”. All throughout her life, her youthful spirit and wild laughter led the way. Her sharp wit, and free spirit could light up any room. The last gift she gave, her personal garden of sugar tips, roses, spruce trees and Juniper was her master manifesto— a window into her soft and delicate interior. A physical manifesting of her ability as a caretaker, and provider. Though the lost of her will impact our family greatly, we can’t help but reflect on how much she gave us while here on this earthly plane. How can someone truly be gone, when so many pieces and memories of them live on in the souls of those left behind? A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again. And though we grieve the lost of her physical presence here, with us, her perspective, empathy, and capacity to love will echo in the way we live our lives, forever.

Marcia Simmons Campbell

August 13, 2022