Jean V.K. Gerrard Campbell

William John Campbell and Jean Vera Kathleen Campbell (nee Gerrard)

Bill was born June 10, 1922 in Toronto. Jean was born December 29, 1924 and grew up in London, England. They experienced very different beginnings – Bill grew up an only child, living with different family members in various small communities in southern Ontario. Jean grew up with five siblings and her parents in a major international centre.

Bill signed up with the Canadian Army July 1941 at Stanley Barracks, Toronto, did his basic training in Kingston, Ontario, convoyed to Debert, Nova Scotia and in August 1942 sailed on the Sterling Castle from Halifax' Pier 21 to England.

Bill and Jean met November 1942 in England at a munitions factory where Jean was working as part of the war effort. Prior to this she had worked on the London buses, but because she found the shift work too hard, she moved to the munitions factory. Bill and Jean dated for a while. During this time Bill was sent on war schemes around various parts of England until he was shipped to continental Europe in July 1944. Bill spent time in Belgium, France, Walcheren Island and Holland, and had advanced to Oldenburg, Germany when the war was finally declared over. During this period, he spent some time driving for Canadian Major General Christopher Vokes.

Bill returned to England in the summer of 1945 and proposed marriage to Jean. They were married in September 1945 and Bill returned to Canada in November on board the QE2 with 22,000 troops. Jean wrote Bill regularly – unfortunately, he wasn’t as conscientious. Just prior to the time when she was scheduled to leave England, Jean wrote Bill and asked him if he did want her to join him in Canada. Bill responded promptly with a “Yes”.

Leaving England and her large family, Jean sailed for Canada in July 1946 aboard the RMS Aquitania landing at Pier 21. It was here that Jean boarded a train for Sarnia, Ontario. Not realizing how big Canada was Jean hoped that Bill would be in Halifax to meet her. When he wasn’t there, she hoped he would be in Montreal – no Bill. She held out hope that he would be in Toronto – no Bill. Bill was at the Sarnia train station to meet her. It was the first time Jean had seen Bill out of uniform – she wasn’t impressed as he was wearing a suit with no tie and gloves (in the July heat!!!). Bill was working as an Immigration Officer at the Bluewater Bridge which spans the St. Clair River connecting Ontario and Michigan.

Jean’s early days in Sarnia were quite awkward and at times very difficult as Bill’s mother (of Scottish ancestry) didn’t like the fact that Bill had married an English woman. The wives of Bill’s work colleagues were very helpful to Jean and made her feel welcome to Canada. Jean was impressed with the abundance of food in Canada, the opposite of rationing and food shortages she experienced in England.

Jean and Bill moved from Sarnia to the United States for a few years in the mid-1950's, then they returned to Sarnia and raised their four children. Later Bill and Jean moved to Ottawa where Bill worked for Customs and Excise.

Jean and Bill divorced while they were in their early fifties, but remained good friends for the rest of their lives. Both Jean and Bill passed away at 66 years of age - Bill in June 1988 in Toronto and Jean in October 1991 in Florida (she was visiting with a friend that she had worked on the London buses with). Bill and Jean were survived by their four children – Suzanne, Jacklyn, Gerrard and Denise, and two grandsons – James William Campbell and Alex Campbell Bishop.

During the early 1990's Jean and Bill's four children became aware that Bill had a serious relationship with a woman in Holland and may have fathered a child. After much searching, they were delighted to learn they did indeed have a half brother, born in Holland in 1945. The four Campbell children were thrilled to finally find and meet their half-sibling, John (and his elderly mother) in 2011.