Anita Eleanor Campiglia Garner

Anita Eleanor Campiglia Garner, 108 years old, left this world to join her husband on August 21st, 2025. Anita leaves behind her 3 sons, Richard, Timothy, and Michael; grandchildren Jessica, Hannah, and Tera; four great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild.

Anita (“Nina” or “Nin”) was the next to youngest child of Mary and Bernard Campiglia, who immigrated to the United States from Naples, Italy. Shortly after clearing customs, Nin’s parents moved to Denver, Colorado to establish Campiglia Dry Goods store, and where Nin was born. Eventually, the large family (7 girls and 1 boy) moved to a corner lot in Santa Monica, California, where Bernard and some of the girls made a living playing and teaching music. They had a small farm and sold produce on the corner. The lot was eventually sold “for a pittance” and became the site of one of Santa Monica’s largest hospitals!

Anita was a devout Catholic and had a tremendous voice. One of the Sisters at her parochial high school said Nina had “a tear in her voice”, a tremula that she preserved well into her 90s. Also, in high school and despite her 5’ 2’’ height, Anita was an excellent basketball player, often outscoring her taller teammates and leading her team to victory. Nina was absolutely gorgeous, inside and out, had many suitors, and envisioned a career in acting until colliding with and walking away from the dark side of the movie industry.

When America entered WW II, Anita obtained a job working in the computer room on an army base in Santa Monica. It is at this base that she met her future husband on a blind date, Lieutenant Floris (“Dick”) Garner. First Lieutenant Garner was severely wounded by mortar fire in Conde-Sur-Viere, France. Dick was recovering from wounds stateside when he married Anita in 1945 (By her own account Dick was so weak that Anita had to carry him across the threshold!).

After the war, Dick and Anita moved to Pullman, WA, where Dick entered veterinary school on the GI bill, and Richard was born. After obtaining the DVM degree, Dick was recalled for the Korean war and the family moved briefly to Santa Monica, where Tim was born, then moved to Tooele, Utah where Mike was born.  After Korea, the family moved to a base in Richmond, Virginia, then to Maryland where Dick was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

It is in Maryland that they stayed, and where the kids grew up. Anita had a formidable disposition, and used every ounce of it to raise the three boys. Anita loved all animals; however, she could occasionally be heard screaming from the laundry room upon discovering a live snake or desiccated frog in a jean pocket.  Anita attended nearly every sports event for each child, often screaming for victory over the roar of the crowd. She kept the kids in clean clothes and food, and advised on the nuances of dating girls.

Anita had an infectious personality that compelled all who met her to admire her as their friend and confidant. It seemed there was always a neighbor or friend from far away visiting at the picnic table in the screen porch. She participated in an antique club with neighbors, and over the years filled her home with antique furniture. She was also a collector of dolls and children's candle stick holders. Nin was always a vibrant, stay at home mom, but once her youngest was in high school Anita accepted a secretarial position in the college placement office at the school, “to stay busy” and get back to her parochial school roots.

Anita used her considerable vocal skills in the choir of St. Patrick’s Church in Rockville, MD where she was a parishioner since 1968. She also sang in the Rockville, MD choir for several years. After retirement Dick and Anita bought a second home in South Bethany, Delaware, and spent many days in their old age fishing, boating, eating clams and blue crabs, and walking on the beach.

Dick passed in 2011, and Anita stayed in the home where her children grew up until she was 105 yrs old, when she moved to the Alfred House for assisted living, just a few blocks from her church, where she eventually died of natural causes.

All are invited to Anita's funeral gathering on Monday, October 27, 2025 at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, 4101 Norbeck Road, Rockville, MD 20853; with Visitation at 10:30am and Mass at 11am.  A reception will follow at 1pm at Silo Falls, 19501 Georgia Ave, Brookeville, MD 20833.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Wild Animal Health Fund (AAZV), Poolesville Cat Inc, and to The Center for Research on Macular Degeneration. 

Anita Campiglia Garner will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.