Pat Campbell

Campbell—Pat Campbell, 72, on April 16, 2021, at her home in Asheville, N.C. Pat was born on April 3, 1949, to Peggy (Margaret) and Frank Campbell in Connecticut. She and NancyLynn Sharpless, her wife of 32 years, came to Asheville (N.C.) Meeting not so long ago, and Pat quickly became an integral part of the community. When she transferred her membership from Detroit (Mich.) Meeting to Asheville Meeting, she brought with her decades of experience with Quakerism and Quaker practice. She contributed to the life of the meeting through her positions as clerk of the Finance Committee, clerk of the Library Committee, and recording clerk and member of Long Range Planning. Pat’s spirit and years of Quaker experience led her to ask questions during discussions that brought Friends to more deeply examine the concerns at hand, especially during difficult times. Most recently, Pat joined the Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association Finance Committee.

Pat and NancyLynn married under the care of Detroit (Mich.) Meeting. Together, they contributed many wonderful years to that community. Pat provided a strong link between Detroit Meeting, Lake Erie Yearly Meeting (LEYM), Green Pastures Quarterly Meeting, and Friends General Conference. She served as clerk of LEYM in 1991–1994.

Pat’s career spanned decades as a forensic psychiatrist, board certified in three specialties. Her retirement began with her move to Asheville. Pat was a voracious reader on an enormous range of topics, an amateur photographer, and enjoyed playing classical guitar. Most recently, she developed an interest in rocks and minerals. She collected and appreciated the variety of forms, shapes, and fantastic colors.

Pat’s love of the natural world led her to volunteer at the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob, located on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There Pat photographed and compiled information about the wildflowers in each of the research plots. The research coordinator of the learning center appreciated the resulting booklets. A second wildflower project, this one with the Nature Conservancy, will culminate in a book identifying the native plants at the Nature Conservancy bat cave sites.

Pat is survived by her spouse, NancyLynn Sharpless; two siblings, Judy Campbell and Susan Campbell; and one niece and one nephew.