Patricia Bailey Campion, 86, died peacefully on November 13, surrounded by family.
Born in Pennsylvania to Robert Gavin and Helen (Finnegan) Gavin, Patricia lived most of her life in Minnesota, growing up with three brothers and three sisters.
Patricia had two great loves of her life, her first husband Jack Bailey lost in the Vietnam war and father to her three children, and Marty Campion, a marriage that lasted nearly 30 years until his death in 2018.
Like her parents, who were Boston Irish transplants to Minnesota, Patricia loved to bring family together, hosting huge Christmas Eve parties, Thanksgiving and Easter dinners, and many small gatherings.
Whether it was from Christ the King school, St. Margaret's Academy, the College of St Catherine, or across the street in Edina, when Patricia found a friend, they stayed bonded for life.
Patricia approached life's hardships with a smile, determination, and a helping hand, whether listening in her den to a private matter that would never be shared, heading to a hospital or driving half the night to meet a sister in need.
Those who knew her then said a light switch flipped on when she met Jack and they married the year she graduated college. Patricia took on the role of military spouse, pressing his uniforms and organizing the family for their numerous moves to bases in the United States and overseas.
Daughter Molly was born in Minnesota, son John in France and son David in Nevada.
Her experiences living in other countries instilled a love of travel that took her to so many places, including Norway, Greece and France. Ireland was her favorite,
She lost Jack in 1966, when his jet was shot down over North Vietnam and he was declared missing in action. With the help of the Gavins, the Baileys, and deep friendships, she raised her children as a stoic and supportive military spouse through the raging turbulence of the Vietnam war until Jack was declared dead in the 1970s.
Patricia let her actions speak for her. When a light needed hanging, she got the drill and put it up. If the kitchen cupboards were dingy, she pried them out and replaced them with the "help" of her children. When the boys tossed a baseball through a window, she replaced it with plexiglass.
A single parent when that was rare, Patricia went to work, and also volunteered with the League of Women Voters, cranking out pamphlets on a mimeograph machine in her basement. She was also a member of the League of Families.
Along the way, an old Bailey family friend, Marty Campion, helped Patricia with her taxes and other decisions. Before he went to Vietnam, Jack and his father had told Patricia that Marty could be relied on for help.
With her children grown and mostly launched, that light turned back on for Patricia and for Marty. They married in 1988.
Patricia and Marty carried each other through hard times and served as a focal point to bring family together. In some years they hosted a huge Christmas Eve party for the extended Gavin family, a relatively sedate Bailey gathering on Christmas and a massive brunch for Marty's children, their children and their children's children the following day.
Patricia loved bringing so many people together for such a joyous time.
Her grandchildren brought her great joy and meant the world to her.
She was especially proud to serve as godmother to nieces and nephews, volunteered as a wedding assistant at the Church of Our Lady of Grace and she and Marty sometimes met with young couples from the parish as they approached their own wedding days.
Patricia was preceded in death by her husbands; her parents; her son John; brother Edward Gavin; and sister Isabelle McGrath.
She is survived by daughter Molly Quinn (Mark); son, David Bailey; daughter-in-law, Dr. Smita Bailey; grandchildren, Marcos and Conor Quinn, and Sophia and Sabrina Bailey.
She is also survived by brothers Robert Gavin and William Gavin (Deana); sisters, Helen Gavin and Debbie Spanier (Tom); numerous nieces and nephews; brothers-in-law, Rick Bailey (Maureen) and Mike Bailey (Marji); and sisters-in-law, Julie Humbutel and Karen Cardy (Phil).
She is also survived by Marty's children Teresa Anderson (David); Kathy Alberio (Joe); Marty Campion (Andrea); Tom Campion (Patty), Jon Campion (Carrie); Patti Campion; Rick Campion (Heidi); and Amy Schmidt (Rowdy); grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Catherine University in the name of Patricia Gavin Bailey Campion, class of 1960, would be greatly appreciated. Patricia enthusiastically donated to many Catholic schools and aid groups and would be thrilled also if you donated to a worthy organization of your choice such as the Alzheimer's Association.
Visitation is at 10:30 AM prior to the funeral Mass of Christian burial. Interment following at Gethsemane Cemetery in New Hope.
