Elizabeth W. “Bannie” Campbell

Campbell, Elizabeth W. “Bannie” (nee Wentz). (October 9, 2019). Beloved wife of the late Archibald Campbell III. Loving mother to Sandra C (Jeffrey) Boswell, and Walter G. (Diane) Campbell. She will also be missed by her 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Services Private. In lieu of flowers contributions in Elizabeth’s name may be made to the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill.

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Elizabeth Wentz was called Betty Ann by her family but only until everyone adopted her sister’s pronunciation “Bannie.” Born in Philadelphia to Lorainne HIllsley Wentz and Edwin Wentz, she was the youngest of three. When her father died in 1934, she and her mother, her sister, Lorainne, and her brother, Ted, moved into her grandmother Laura Hillsley’s home in Mt. Airy. Already living there were her aunt, Eleanor Hillsley Harting, uncle John, and cousins Jane and young John Harting.  Her mother died in 1937, leaving the children to the care of their grandmother. Some of Bannie’s fondest memories were of the children playing all together after bedtime, until one of the adults climbed the stairs to insist on lights out. With five children in the house, it must have been quite a racket.

She went to Stevens School and played on the field hockey team there with Grace Kelly. She kept in touch with her friends from Stevens all her life, especially the group she called the Birthday Girls. She was taking some classes at Drexel University when she met Archibald Campbell.

The family always went to Ocean City, NJ in the summer where Arch’s family also had a summer home on North Street. Family lore says they met on North Street beach. They fell in love and married in 1950, only 25 days after the death of her beloved grandmother.  Her sister was her attendant, and her brother walked her down the aisle.

Bannie and Arch moved into their new home in Chesney Downs in Erdenheim, and lived there the rest of their married life. They were joined by two children, Sandra and Walter, and two notable poodles, Gigi and Josephine. Bannie was a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, an active member of the Women’s Club of Erdenheim, and played a great deal of bridge, tennis and was in a local bowling league for 50 years. She and Arch always made sure to have a date night every week, and every summer she and the children would move to Ocean City for the season. Arch would come down on weekends, and they became great friends with their neighbors on North Street just as they did in Erdenheim.

Arch died suddenly in 1995. Bannie stayed in Erdenheim until 2012 when she moved into Spring House Estates, joining a number of friends from the old neighborhood. She continued summering in Ocean City until 2015. She was a proud grandmother to Elizabeth (Boswell) Skolnicki, Katie (Boswell) Ferroni, Doug Boswell, Ellen Campbell and Ross Campbell; and great-grandmother to Grant and Miles Skolnicki, Alissa and Daniel Ferroni, and Clara Boswell.

She lived a long and fruitful life and will be missed by her family, friends, and all those who walked their dogs on North Street. From her vantage point on the porch she was always ready with praise and pats, and knew all their names (dogs, not always owners).