John Campion
Warminster, Pa. — It is with a great sense of loss and grief that we note the sudden and unexpected passing of John M. Campion on Aug. 1, 2023, at his home in Warminster,
Pa. John was born in Hartford, 76 years ago to John T. Campion and Charlotte Daly Campion.
During his youth, he spent many summers along with his brother Larry Campion at Black Point Beach in Niantic. John and Larry enjoyed the excitement of observing and being a part of the adolescent adventures of their older teenage Campion cousins, Billy, Judd, Paul, Don and Virginia. John graduated from South Catholic High School in the first graduating class (1965). He liked to say that he was always an upperclassman while at South. Following his graduation from Villanova University in Villanova, Pa., he served as a medic in the U.S. Army, an experience that made a lasting impression on him. Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to Hartford, and worked for the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) where he had a long and distinguished career starting as a classroom teacher until his retirement as an administrator in 2003.
While at DMR, John met fellow DMR employee Patricia Donovan; and thus began a loving relationship of 50 years. On Oct. 1, 1977, John and Pat were married in Saint Augustine’s Church in Hartford. A short while later, they moved from Hartford to a farm in Salem, where their three children, Michael, Sarah and Stephen, were born and grew up surrounded by various farm animals, mainly sheep but also chickens and a cow.
During the 1980s and 1990s, in addition to working full time at DMR and making many improvements on the farm, John was active in community life in Salem. He served on the Salem Board of Finance, was an active member of the Lions Club and was a den leader in the Salem Cub Scouts where he participated in many Pinewood Derbies, camping trips and other local scouting activities. Summers continued to center around Black Point Beach and the family also spent many happy times in Waterville Valley, N.H.
Upon his retirement from DMR, John and Pat left Salem and moved to Black Point Beach full time. They spent the next 21 years enjoying the beautiful southeastern Connecticut shoreline and being with the many wonderful friends they met in Black Point. Once again John was an active member of the community in which he lived. He served on the Black Point Board of Governors for six years, chaired the Pier Review Committee and served on the Black Point Charter Revision Committee.
On their summer morning walks around “the Point” John and his good friend Pete Diresta often discussed the idea of getting together a group of men for socializing and working together in the interests of the Black Point community. From these informal talks the idea of the Black Point Men’s Club (BPMC) was born and grew in membership over the years. The BPMC provided and continues to provide social, recreational and enrichment activities for the entire Black Point community. Club members built a bocce court for the enjoyment of the members. They continue to sponsor a summer bocce league as well as a summer yoga class, to provide fun and educational activities for children, and to support local charitable programs such as the Shoreline Soup Kitchen, Care and Share, the Cahill Educational Fund and other projects which benefit the Black Point community and its members.
John also made time for his own interests and activities which he gladly shared with others who showed an interest. His personal interests included but were not limited to computers and all things related to technology; photography and art; gardening, hiking and anything related to nature; Irish genealogy; astronomy and all aspects of the cosmos; and basically anything of a scientific nature. He loved to travel here and abroad with Pat and learn about the areas they visited. His education did not end with his formal schooling; he believed in and was dedicated to life-long learning and loved discovering and discussing new knowledge and ideas. His latest interest was learning to make many 3-D objects on his computer with and for his grandchildren.
But mostly he was devoted to his family: his wife of 46 years Pat Donovan Campion; their children, Michael Daniel Campion, Sarah Elizabeth Campion Case and her husband Adam, and Stephen Donovan Campion and his wife, Laura Martinez. During the past seven years, his devotion extended to his beloved grandchildren: AJ, Abigail, Jack and Isabella, who were fortunate to have him, however briefly, as their grandfather. John also is survived by his brother Lawrence Campion and his wife, Carol, at whose farm John loved spending time; cousin Paul Campion and his wife, Susan; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law; many nieces and great-nieces; and nephews and great-nephews, all of whom he enjoyed seeing at family gatherings.
If you would like to create a remembrance for John, please consider making a donation to the CT Audubon Society or planting a tree wherever you can. There will be a Celebration of John’s Life from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 23, at the Black Point Beach Clubhouse, 6 Sunset Ave. in Black Point, Niantic. Family and friends are welcome to come and to share fond memories of John. He will be sorely missed and lovingly remembered.