By LB Indy Staff
A few REALTORS and friends of Laguna Beach relator June Campbell have carried her legacy of adopting a family at Christmas each year since her passing in 2013.
This year, with Sande St. John’s help, the group adopted a local family from the Laguna Beach Adopt A Family Program.
Liz Comerford, Michael La Riche, Tracy Lineback, Kathy Olex, Nancy Pooley and Suzanne Taylor provided a bevy of gifts for the family of four.
All the gifts were wrapped and delivered to Santa’s house on Forest Ave. on the afternoon of Dec. 23.
Campbell was an active real estate agent in Laguna Beach, selling homes even into her 80s. Legend has it that Campbell sold many local houses three times over during her career.
Many will remember her exuberant personality, professional success and adventurous nature. She had many friends and a lifelong love of animals.
Born Oct. 26, 1924 and raised in St. Louis, Mo., Campbell studied chemistry at the University of Chicago. She served in Hawaii during WWII as a marine and migrated to California shortly thereafter.
Campbell was a fierce advocate for equal rights at a time when it was dangerous to do so. In 1978, during the campaign against the Briggs initiative, a law that threatened gay rights and would have permitted the firing of gay teachers in public schools, many people were hesitant to be identified as gay-friendly. Campbell had supporters of equal rights send checks and cash through her and routed them to the cause.
Campbell’s presence as a gay female REALTOR in Laguna Beach from the early 60s until 2012 cannot be ignored. She was a generous mentor, taking many fledgling REALTORS under her wing. Campbell was also well respected for her honesty and astute protectiveness, where her clients were concerned. Her influence and help to other gay women in business was considerable.
One of her favorite projects as a REALTOR was to adopt needy families during the holidays and shower them with gifts.
