“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.
In our lives, we meet many people who are good for us, but rarely do you meet someone who has truly dedicated their entire life to providing such immense love, patience and acceptance to others. That is who Michelle Campbell was.
With profound sadness, the family shares the passing of Michelle Denise Campbell. Michelle entered into God’s Kingdom after a short battle with Glioblastoma on December 11, 2024.
Michelle was born in the state of Oklahoma on January 15, 1965 and lived the first five days of her life with the name of “Baby Girl Hill” and was then adopted by Judy Bounds and Jerry Kohen to become Michelle Kohen.
Michelle and her mother moved to Bakersfield in 1973 where she attended Beardsley Elementary School for several months, only to move back to Oklahoma to be bussed across town for school. They later again relocated back to Bakersfield where she then attended Munsey Elementary, James Curran Middle School and later graduated from South High School in 1983. After high school, she met the man she would marry, George Campbell, at age 19 while working at Sam Woo Laundry. They married on August 9, 1986. The couple soon relocated to Kernville, Ca in 1991 to surround themselves in the beauty of God’s green earth.
Michelle would later give birth to their first child, Lincoln Campbell, in June of 1995 and their second, Kara Campbell, in July of 1997. Through all things she never failed to share the immense love she had for her husband and children. Michelle made sure to wrap her children in arms of love and acceptance every day. She ensured they felt bigger than this world.
Michelle and George would spend their early years before children skiing record snow years at Kirkwood Mountain and working various jobs while going to school. Michelle graduated with her Registered Nursing degree through Bakersfield College in 1988 and spent the next 36 years servicing Kern County in many registered nursing roles. She spent twenty-two of those years at Delano Valley Regional Medical Center, where she found her love for the combination of many cultures and their people; her co-workers who became her best friends, and of course, her patients. In her final years of nursing, she worked with the boys at Camp Erwin Owen’s juvenile detentions unit, where she also was lucky enough to be surrounded with amazing co-workers.
Outside of work, Michelle spent much of her time with her community and her church. She loved to experience the outdoors in many ways throughout all seasons of the year including never missing a single season of white water kayaking, camping, or fishing on the Kern River, and skiing in the winters with her family. Michelle was a devout Christian and a member of the Kern River United Methodist Church who believed the Lord had a hand in every aspect of this life and after; “that [he] was the resurrection and the life and whoever believes in [him] will live, even though they die.” John 11: 25-26. She relished in the
way God could make it snow while the sun was out, the way the water carves the earth, and the way each person is different.
Michelle is preceded in death by her parents Judy Kumer and Jerry Kohen. She is survived by her husband George Campbell, and her children Kara and Ethan Bedwell and Lincoln and Shannon Campbell.
As the sun continues to rise, we will remember the astounding impact Michelle’s love made on so many. May we meet again, in the clearing at the end of the path.
Memorial Services will be held at the Kernville United Methodist Church on Saturday December 28, 2024 at 12:00pm in Kernville, California.
