Trudy Patricia Campbell, generous patroness of many organizations, selfless mom, and loyal wife and companion, left this life June 3, 2012, following more than 10 years of decline with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a rare brain disorder.
She was born Jan. 11, 1928, in Los Angeles to German immigrants Johann and Ilse Eggers, and attended Fairfax High School. Upon graduation, she skated professionally, touring with Sonja Henie. She later attended UCLA but returned to skating with the Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies. She was teaching figure skating in Tacoma when she agreed to marry young naval officer R. Bruce Campbell, whom she met at age 14, and who became her husband of 60 years.
His 30 years with the Navy took Bruce and Trudy around the world, raising their family in Hawaii, California, Washington, Virginia, Georgia, and France. During a tour at NAS Whidbey Island, Trudy was active in the Officers Wives Club while Bruce was CO of Patrol Squadron 2. For most of the 1960s, Bruce was deployed to Vietnam and Trudy kept the family running smoothly all alone. In 1968, Trudy became a realtor, and worked until their kids finished college. The couple retired first to Saratoga, Calif., and then to Sandy Hook on Whidbey Island in 1980, with snow-bird residences in Fallbrook, then Palm Desert, Calif. For the last eight years they have lived at Useless Bay.
Both during their Navy years and afterward, Trudy and Bruce were passionate about travel. Trips to Europe, Mexico and other destinations were coupled with long years as boat owners and enthusiastic members of the Sandy Hook and Oak Harbor yacht clubs.
On Whidbey, Trudy was a member of PEO, the Garden Club, an avid golfer, tennis player, gardener and cook. She volunteered for several years at Senior Thrift and Time Together. She will be remembered as a stylish, charitable lady, a great hostess, and a wonderful friend and neighbor. She is survived by husband Bruce, daughter Susan Sandri and family (Kevin, Daniel, Lauren), and son David and family (Jenny, Annie, Connor), all residents of South Whidbey.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, June 21, at 3 p.m. at St. Augustine’s in-the-Woods Episcopal Church in Freeland. A reception will follow. Trudy was a long-time member of St. Augustine’s, where she was a member of the Altar Guild, the Episcopal Church Women, and worked to raise money for local charities through the Trash & Treasure and Rack Sales. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the St. Augustine’s in-the-Woods Building Fund.
