Cooki Edna E. Campbell

Cooki Campbell, age 64 passed away peacefully on September 18, 2014. She was born January 16, 1950 in Biloxi, Mississippi to Gus and Edna (Suarez) Rushon. From an early age, she grew up in Whatcom County with her step father and mother, Jerry and Edna Logan. Cooki married Douglas N. Campbell on April 23rd, 1988 in Bellingham. Cooki had a career in banking for 27 years in Blaine and Bellingham, where she made countless friends and acquaintances. For the past 14 years she worked with her husband Douglas as the office manager of their family owned engineering firm. Cooki was born to a life of service of every kind: her joy in life was caring for anything or anyone who did not have another soul to care for them. She had great compassion for those in need; the elderly, poor, troubled, lost, those who had nowhere else to turn and no one else to lend a hand. Cooki knew things that no one else knew. She had a way of finding out ways to make everything better. She had a secret key to information like “non-aluminum” baking powder, or using an anode to clean jewelry, or the gadget to keep your seat belt in one place, or the antidote to a broken heart, or the way to pray when God is silent. Cooki loved to feed people; finding new ways to nourish the body and soul of the people she loved. Cooki was a “homemaker extraordinaire,” home-cooking, baking, canning, nurturing her loved ones and friends with her creations in the kitchen. Her minimum effort at Christmas was to bake 25 varieties of cookies, bars and candy. Cooki was the definition of indomitable. Her spirit, her courage, her resolve, her control and her will. Her gentleness and support was infused with that indomitable will to do the right thing. The right way. The right love. Cooki embodied the most precious quality that each and every one of us yearns for in life; being a true and compassionate friend. Cooki had the capacity to love without judgment. To care without asking for anything in return. To help without thinking about herself. To listen without needing to express her thoughts. And most importantly, to love without reservation. There was always something other worldly about Cooki because there was no way to compare her to anyone else. She could not be confined. She could not be contained. She could not be explained. She could not be controlled. She could not be swayed from her path. She was, in every way, a pure soul and a miracle of creation that served to show the rest of us that God is alive and breathing life into every being on this earth. She never did anything half way. Ever. Cooki and Douglas enjoyed traveling, camping and boating together, as well as gardening and creating a beautiful home to share with others. She helped raise Noah Campbell and devoted herself to loving him and helping him be successful in life. Cooki’s passions in life included being a lover of pets. Most recently her dog “Rosa,” who was a great comfort to her through her illness. She loved to serve others - if there was a need, Cooki would do her best to help – friends, family, acquaintances, and church. For many years she was a familiar face at Sacred Heart Church where she served her loving God. She was preceded in death by her father Gus Rushon, mother Edna Elnora Logan, step sister Sylvia Jackson and step brother Paul Logan. She is survived by her loving husband of 26 years, Douglas, step-son Noah (Jessica) Campbell and their children Lincoln and Sierra, step father Jerry Logan, step brothers Craig and Bill Rushon and many loving relatives and friends. Memorials in Cooki’s name may be made to Newman Catholic Campus Ministry at 714 A. North Garden St., Bellingham, WA 98225 or the Whatcom Hospice House at 2806 Douglas Ave., Bellingham, WA 98225. Vigil Service at 4 PM on Sunday, September 28th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM on Monday, September 29th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church followed by a lunch reception. Fr. Joseph Altenhofen will be officiating.