Barbara Alice Campbell began her last uncharted journey, crossing the great divide on 1/30/24.

Born  in August of 1924  in Youngstown, Ohio to Albert and Violet Bittner, our mother often said of life that she followed her "Gypsy Feet" and took inspiration from a favorite book, "Heidi". Barbara was a free spirit, inquisitive intellect, proud progressive, and adventurous traveler on all continents except Antarctica.

She married happily twice, first to childhood sweetheart Art Campbell and, after Art's death, to Dennis Jensen until his death in 2019. While raising three similarly spirited children she spent  summers in remote geology camps across the West. During the school year she worked in education, first teaching in Chevy Chase MD and later for Jefferson County CO Public Schools (once chosen Teacher of the Year!) as resource consultant and administrator, as designer and Principal for an innovative new "open space" school, and as Jefferson County Curriculum Coordinator, including curriculum for the Outdoor Education Lab School – this while earning Bachelor, Masters and Doctorate degrees!

She bought a hard-top Ford Mustang in 1965, the first in a series over the years and the envy of every kid in town, including her own.

After retiring, she travelled around the world alone with a backpack; in the early 1970's snowmobiled solo across Yellowstone during a snowstorm, yielding when necessary to a herd of buffalo; toured Afghanistan and India, staying in a houseboat in Kashmir; visited her German/Alsatian roots; survived a stormy Cape Horn cruise tossed by massive waves; and travelled with grandkids in Mexico, Baja, Galapagos, Belize and Patagonia.

Particular loves were Colorado; the mountains of Montana, Idaho and Washington, where she lived in tents, trailers, cabins; and in the deserts of Arizona while staying in casitas. One highlight was buying a secluded cabin on the headwaters of the Colorado River where she moved in by skiing 19 toboggan-loads of food, bedding and gear. There she wrote her dissertation and continued to visit for 50 years, hosting memorable gatherings.

She had a passion for genealogy and family, organizing sojourns across the US and Europe to collect historical source material; was a creative artist with countless sewing, weaving and jewelry projects; and was an avid "scribbler"  writing essays that recorded adventures or described lessons from her wide-ranging life experience.

Throughout her remarkable ninety-nine years "Babs" cultivated and maintained friendships from high school, college, work, Unitarian church groups, writing groups, and with other geologist couples. She had strong humanist values and did not abide by prejudice or hate. She was always optimistic and happy, believing in the power of positive thinking, and accomplished much while spreading love far and wide.

Barbara is survived by her three children Dan, Larry, Cate; her grandchildren McKenzie and Geordie; and great-grandchildren Saya and Mica.

The Campbell Clan is grateful for the experienced, joyful, and loving staff at Beehive Homes of Hamilton, whose County Fair Parade hayrides and Lake Como "Hawaiian" pontoon boat trips kept Barbara's spirit of adventure alive and fulfilled, making all the difference in her last years! Bitterroot Health Hospice did a wonderful job of helping her over the finish line with love and comfort.

A family memorial will be held over the summer at her cabin in Grand Lake Colorado. Barbara's wish was that contributions be sent to an environmental organization of the donor's choice.