MARY LOU CAMPAGNOLA
Oct. 19, 1952 ~ Nov. 29, 2016

Mary Lou passed away on Nov. 29th surrounded by family. She is survived by mother, Ethel Campagnola; siblings, Marlene (James) Bechaver, Martin J. Campagnola and Marie (Douglas) McNichol; nephews, Justin Bechaver, Matthew Bechaver, Sergio Campgnola and Ty Campagnola; great nephew, Blake Bechaver; and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her father, Martin Campagnola and grandparents, Joseph and Agnes Zubal, and Martin and Constance Campagnola. Mary Lou was born on October 19, 1952 in Pueblo to Martin and Ethel Campagnola. When she was about 12 hours old, she had to have major surgery because her esophagus wasn't connected to her stomach. She was in the hospital for additional two weeks before she was able to come home. On her first birthday, she swallowed a button and had to have it removed with a scope. After the button was removed, her esophagus was fully dilated. She was baptized at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Walsenburg and went on to attend St. Mary's Catholic School from kindergarden to graduation. During her school years she made her 1st Holy Communion and her Confirmation at St. Mary's Parish. While growing up she helped out on the Zubal Family Ranch by picking and washing eggs, turning butter, plucking chickens and anything else her Grandma Agnes could come up with. She always loved children, so she baby sat for several families and volunteered as a Teen Aid at Walsenburg Hospital. After graduation, she enrolled at Blair Business College in Colorado Springs. While in college staying with family friends Annie and Roque, she started to have migraine headaches. Annie took her to a doctor who determined she had a growth in her head causing the headaches. It was later determined to ba a cancerous brain tumor. On July 16, 1970, at age 17, she had brain surgery. After the surgery she had 36 cobalt treatments to kill the cancer, resulting in the loss of all of her hair. She would then wear a wig for the rest of her life. In January 1971, she returned to college and completed the program in 18 months. After college Mary Lou worked jobs around Walsenburg, then was married for five years and divorced. After her divorce, she moved to Cheyenne, WY where she worked for AT&T for 18 years in various roles from Operator to business office manager. In 1998 , she moved to Aurora, CO and did mortgage closings for few years. During her time in Aurora, she had several unexplained falls, bruises, and accidents, later discovered to be the result of seizure activity. In 2008, she had a seizure in her doctor's office, hit her head and had her first known bleed on the brain. After this fall she was declared disabled and moved back to Walsenburg for a slower pace of life. Mary Lou always loved to volunteer and help others. Over the last few years, she taught religion classes to the kids at St. Mary's Parish, worked as Pink Lady at the Spanish Peaks Medical Center, was a member of the Eagles, and helped her mother, Ethel, run the gambling bus to Cripple Creek once a month. The last doctor who treated her call her a medical miracle. A miracle is defined as a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and its therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency. The doctor said, even with modern medicine, they would never have expected someone with as much brain trauma and radiation as Mary Lou had endured at age 17 to live for an additional 47 years and to have accomplished as much as she had. We were very lucky to have her in our lives for so long. Viewing was Monday, December 5, 2016 from 2-5 pm at Boies-Ortega Funeral Home in Walsenburg. Rosary and Mass were at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Walsenburg. Burial followed at the Zubal Family Cemetery on Ideal Road. Reception followed at the Eagles Hall in Walsenburg. In lieu of flowers or food, the family requests donations be made to St. Mary's Senior Outreach, Attention: Sister Carol Tlach, P.O. Box 86, Walsenburg, CO 81089.

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