Obituary: Mary Campbell Green

On January 31, Mary joined her beloved husband of 65 years, Don, who preceded her to heaven 8 months ago.

Mary was born to James and Bertha Campbell in Topeka, Kansas. Mary grew up on a farm in Berryton, Kansas. Mary enjoyed her horses and outdoor activities with her beloved father, Daddy Jack. Mary was musically gifted. She danced, played piano and sang in a band during her college years at Washburn University in Topeka. At Washburn she was an English major and a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

Mary met Don at Washburn U and they were married in 1947. Don was a pilot and a career officer in the US Air Force. Mary lived the life of a devoted military wife for the next 17 years, residing in Lima, Peru, where two of her daughters were born as well as numerous cities in the United States. Mary taught first grade at a Catholic school when the family lived in Ohio.

When Don retired from the Air Force in 1964 to become an instructor at Chabot College and Cal State Hayward, the family moved to Hayward, California. While living in Hayward, Mary taught children with Downs Syndrome. She also worked at J. Magnin's and was a real estate agent for Adams and Adams Realty. When Don retired as an instructor in 1980, he and Mary moved to Truckee, California where they lived the "mountain life" for 10 years. During that time, they made lifelong friends. They traveled throughout the country in their RV and enjoyed the numerous jazz festivals they attended. They loved the peace and tranquility of their circular home surrounded by trees in Sierra Meadows.

Mary was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She had an extremely positive outlook on life and had a joyful, friendly spirit. She was totally and completely devoted to her husband, Don. She loved the life they had together, and was always saying she wanted to spend "another 65 years" with the love of her life. She loved her animals and always had a dog or two. She loved music which became extremely important to her as she gradually lost her vision to Macular Degeneration over the past 20 years. Her favorite song was La Vie En Rose.

For the past 22 years, she and her Don resided at Air Force Village West, a retirement community for retired military officers in Riverside, CA. In her early years there, she was in charge of all the birthday parties and many other social aspects of living at AFVW.

Mary leaves behind her children, Danny Green (Jana), Patty Green Goodman (Larry) of Castro Valley, CA, Peggy Green-Wilson (Don) of Carson City, NV, Linda Morgan (Bob) of Lawrence, KS, and her grandchildren, Capt. Patrick Green, USMC (Stephanie), Katie Green Goodman of Castro Valley, CA, Page Frakes (Ann Marie) of Niles, CA and Jothan Frakes (Melissa) of Normandy Park, WA; and four great-grandchildren. Mary also loved her former son-in-law, Ed Frakes of Niles, CA. Mary also leaves behind many dear friends, especially Lt. Gen. Harry Goldsworthy who was Don's best friend and who visited Mary every day after Don's passing.

A Mass was said by Father Ed Cardoza, a dear family friend at AFVW Chapel on Feb. 5th, followed the next day by interment with her Don at the Riverside National Cemetery. An Irish hooley will be held for Mary and Don on St. Patrick's Day weekend in San Diego and part of their ashes will be taken to Ireland in May by their children.