Florita Alicia Campbell
June 22, 1943 - March 20, 2022

Florita Alicia Campbell (Dakanay) was born in her grandfather's hacienda on June 22, 1943 as the youngest of five children to Emigdio Salvador Dakanay, Esq. and Remedios Panares in Patag, Naga City, Cebu Philippines. She passed peacefully surrounded by her family on March 20, 2022 in Gilbert, Arizona. Florita was a wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, entrepreneur and friend and hers was a life fulfilled through earnest kindness to all.

A childhood spent in the Philippines led Florita to the Marian School of Nursing in Manila. Florita was Class President and Summa Cum Laude of the graduating class of 1964. Shortly after her graduation from nursing school, she came to the U.S. and married Dr. James Campbell M.D. James remained the love of her life in marriage for the next 56 and half years. Florita worked as a psychiatric nurse at the New York Medical Center in Westchester County, N.Y. prior to the birth of her two children. The Campbell Family moved to Williamsport, PA and then to Phoenix, Arizona in 1979 where Florita lovingly cared for her family and volunteered at her children's schools. She was a member and proud cultural ambassador of many Filipino/American civic organizations. She was the founder and first President of the Association Philippine Practicing Physicians of Arizona Auxiliary in 1980.

Florita enjoyed worldwide travel with her husband and friends to Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and the Far East. She loved cooking, reading about history and finishing her daily crossword puzzle. Florita's happiest moments were those spent with her husband, children and grandchildren. She loved sharing stories of the antics of her grandchildren and would begin and end each day with prayers for their success. She was most kindhearted and faithful to her siblings, nephews, nieces and friends. She cherished the nursing school reunions, "mini-reunions" and enduring classic phone calls to her classmates in the US and Canada. She was forever thankful to her friends whom she loved going on outings with. No matter what is written here to memorialize Florita, nothing will be more of a testament to her life than the love her family and friends will carry for her in their hearts.

Florita is survived by her husband James, her two children, her sisters Gracia Macasieb and Teodorica Casey, 7 grandchildren (5 from her daughter, Niko, Nate, Noah, Nash, and Kiana) and 2 from her son (Palmer and Walker). She was preceded in death by her parents Emigdio Salvador Dakanay and Remidios Panares Dakanay, her granddaughter Grace Campbell, brother Emigdio Augusto Dakanay Jr., sister Elnora Sayson, brother in law Eladio Macasieb and sister-in-law Lourdes Cadiz Dakanay.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Community, Scottsdale, Arizona on April 22, 2022 at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to Graces Groupies, a foundation built to support children with disabilities and honor the life of Florita's Granddaughter, Grace Campbell.

To donate go to:

bkpp.org/graces-groupies/

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