Phyllis (Kletzien) Campbell

SCARBOROUGH – Beloved wife of Ted, caring mother of Tom and Sarah, loving “Ama” of Katie, Bethany, and Megan, treasured sister, dear friend, and global citizen, Phyllis K. Campbell, 90, of Piper Shores, Scarborough, passed away on May 12, 2024 of natural causes.

Phyl was born in Buffalo, N.Y. to Seymour W. and Katherine Damon Kletzien subsequently living in Williamsville, N.Y. and then West Hartford, Conn. while her father served in WWII and the reconstruction.

After his return, they moved to Swarthmore, Pa., where she met the love of her life, Edward F. “Ted” Campbell, Jr. in the Presbyterian Church youth group there. After she attended Mount Holyoke College for three years, Phyl and Ted were married and left for Chicago, Ill., where she finished her B.A. at Lake Forest College. They moved to Baltimore, Md., where she taught at Baltimore Friends School. Returning to Chicago, Ted joined the faculty of McCormick Theological Seminary, and Phyl became a mother to James (died 1958), Thomas, and Sarah; faculty-supporter and community-builder; and active member of the Lake View Presbyterian Church.

Mom poured her love, energy, and caring into raising her children and working with children, teaching part time in nursery schools, earning a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Erikson Institute, and volunteering in children’s hospitals.

When Ted and Phyl left Chicago, Ill. and McCormick Seminary, an endowed chair in Social Justice Ministry was established in both their names. Phyllis’ ongoing commitment to justice and a more caring world was evident in her support of a variety of peace initiatives in the Middle East (where Ted and Phyl had visited over several decades and briefly lived); her dedication to helping underprivileged and underrepresented people; and her participation in organizations that created access to services and support for all.

They moved to Piper Shores in Scarborough in 2001 to be nearer family. Here in Maine, she volunteered at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital playroom at MMC, supported the Sudanese refugee community, and brought her skills in community building and gentle personal support to the Piper Shores and Greater Portland communities.

Mom’s commitment to children and education shone through her volunteer work, but also in her creative and nurturing times with her granddaughters and other youth. She knew how to be silly, fun, and educational all at the same time, and her creative and crafty side runs through her offspring. The world will miss her spirit, kindness, and dedication to allowing everyone to know that they matter as humans. We certainly do.

Phyllis is survived by her beloved husband, Ted; children Tom and his wife, Lori, and Sarah and her husband, Ted; granddaughters Katie, Bethany, and Megan; siblings Edith, Damon and Ralph; and a circle of dear family and friends.

A celebration of her life will be held at Woodfords Congregational Church UCC in Portland on Saturday, May 25, 10:30 a.m., which will also be streamed online.

Details at A.T. Hutchins at https://www.athutchins.com/obituary/Phyllis-Campbell.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Phyllis’ honor might be made to the Immigrant Legal Aid Project (https://ilapmaine.org/), Heifer International (https://www.heifer.org/index.html), or peace initiatives in the Middle East.