Ann Gillian Campbell, April 24, 1949 –  July 27, 2026

Ann Gillian Campbell (Gillian or Gilly) died on July 27, 2026, after living for five years with progressive supranuclear palsy. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend, and a spirited entrepreneur whose generosity and ideas touched people across Canada. Gillian met her husband and best friend, Christopher Moger Campbell, at a university dance in Wales. Together they built a life in Newfoundland and, from 1993, in Nanaimo. Chris predeceased her in 2023 after more than five decades of marriage. Their home was a gathering place where family, friends and newcomers always found a warm welcome. In 1977, Gillian founded Woof Designs, which grew to employ nearly 100 women, many working from their homes across Atlantic Canada, making hand-woven mohair sweaters. She saw talent and possibility in remote communities and created work, independence and connection long before working from home was commonplace. Inspired by her family’s travels across Canada, she later opened Newfoundland to Nanaimo, an all-Canadian gift store unlike anything the city had seen. The store continues today under new owners. Gillian brought that same energy to Nanaimo as president of the local Rotary club and chair of the Nanaimo Symphony Orchestra. She loved music, community and bringing people together. Friends from coast to coast knew her for her intelligence, warmth, determination and enduring interest in others. She is deeply missed by her sons Nick and Alex; Nick’s wife Ashley; and her grandsons Henry and Max. She is also lovingly remembered by her sister Georgina, her husband Tash and daughter Ella; her brother John, his wife Aldina and sons Thomas and Edward; and many extended family members and friends. A celebration of Gillian’s life will be held Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Royal Nanaimo Yacht Club. In lieu of flowers, donations to Rotary International or the Nanaimo Symphony Orchestra would be appreciated.

• Date : 2026-07-27
• Location : Nanaimo, BC