Laura Lorraine Campbell

Laura Lorraine Baxter Campbell, 90, a resident of Appleridge Senior Living in Horseheads, NY died peacefully on November 1, 2021. She bravely lived with Parkinson’s disease for several years. Laura was formerly a resident of Delaware Avenue in Painted Post for over 50 years.

Laura was born on May 5, 1931 in Weston, Ontario, Canada to Hugh Baxter and Laura Stone Baxter. She attended Weston High School and later worked in secretarial positions at companies including CCM where she met her husband, Donald Ross Campbell. She turned him down the first time he asked her out, but Don persisted, which eventually led to their marriage on July 20, 1951 at St. Mathias Anglican Church in Weston. They celebrated 65 years of marriage prior to Don’s death on October 3, 2016.

Laura and Don moved from Canada to the Corning area in 1960 after he accepted a position with Corning Glass Works. Laura excelled at raising five children while creating a warm and loving home where friends and neighbors were welcome. Following the Hurricane Agnes flood of 1972, she helped lead the family in rebuilding its home all the while maintaining a routine in a HUD mobile home in the backyard. Laura’s family and holiday dinners were delicious and always presented on a tastefully prepared table. Her pies, especially apple, were extraordinary.

As her children grew older, Laura returned to work for Ecker’s Drug Store gift shop and Connors Mercantile. She was a much sought after saleswoman, a Market Street fixture, who knew exactly what her customers wanted even before they knew.

In addition to her home and family, Laura devoted time and energy to community organizations including Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Hospital Chapter CC, Meals on Wheels, Scottish American Society, LPGA, and Corning-Painted Post Historical Society (Heritage Village). She was a woman of strong faith who served Christ Episcopal Church, Corning for over 60 years as a Sunday School teacher, Altar Guild member, Vestry member, Pastoral Care visitor, Diocesan delegate, choir member, and lay reader. Later in life, Laura enhanced her sewing talents with her membership in the Corning Quilters Guild where she created beautiful projects for her family and in service to the community.

In her spare time Laura cultivated her desire as a lifelong learner to read extensively, especially poetry and the works of Shakespeare. She instilled the value of education in her family who benefitted from her shared wisdom. She even learned about college basketball, becoming an avid, orange shirt-wearing Syracuse Orange fan.

Besides her husband, Laura was predeceased by her parents, brothers Hugh and Roy Baxter, and an infant daughter, Nancy. She is survived by sister Marion Bullied, brother Ross (Gail) Baxter, sisters-in-law Yvonne Baxter and June Perry, brother-in-law Archie Campbell, all in Canada; daughters Leslie and Robert Bayer of Painted Post, Sharon Campbell & Nicholas Quarrier of Clayton, NY, Patricia Campbell with Fred Maloney of Corning; sons Donald and Sandra Campbell of San Francisco, and Ian and Julie Campbell of Newnan, Georgia; eight grandchildren and four (soon-to-be six) great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Laura requested donations to Christ Episcopal Church, Meals on Wheels in Corning, or a local SPCA. A private Celebration of Life at Christ Episcopal Church with burial in Fairview Cemetery, Painted Post will take place at the convenience of the family.

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