Clifford James Campeau

Daniel Campeau

466w ago

My Dad had one rule with all of us, when you graduate from High School you either go to college or you pay rent to stay home, I didn't go to college so I had to pay rent couldn't believe my Dad was making me pay rent was mad every time I had to pay. To my surprise the day I told my parents I was moving out my Dad went upstairs came down with an envelope full of savings bonds he took every penny I gave him and bought savings bonds telling me I worried about you the most Daniel. Love you always. Dan

Jeff Campeau

467w ago

Cliff Campeau Sr. was a complicated man. The mold was broken after he was born - Timeout! The more I reflected on him and what he was all about, the more I realized that I had it wrong. My dad was really a very simple man. A man of principle and character. Someone you could admire and respect, and certainly a good role model for all of his family to follow and lean upon. My dad's life was guided by one key element - love the Lord with all of your mind, all of your heart, and all of your soul, and my dad did, and really everything after that all falls into place in the big scheme of life.

My dad was an ex-marine. He liked being the drill sergeant and we his 8 kids were his platoon. Discipline was what he liked to dish out best. There were a lot of times that I didn't like the discipline directed at me, however, after starting to raise 3 kids of my own, I realized that it was all wrapped in love. My dad had a really big heart. All that he wanted was for each of his kids to be more successful in life than he was.

Many who knew my dad knew that one of his biggest disciplines was no smoking. He hated smoking, even though many of his friends and brothers and sisters enjoyed a good cigarette every once in a while. He decided one day that it would be a good idea to tape a large black and orange NO SMOKING sign to the bottom lowest panel of the back door to our first house in Canton. This was in the early 1970's when it was normal for people to smoke in restaurants, airplanes, and even their cars and homes. My aunts and uncles used to visit and beg my dad to let them smoke in our house. My dad would say, "didn't you read the sign when you came in?" "There is no smoking in this house."

I used to have a bad temper when I was a kid and if things didn't go my way, I used to like to have a little tantrum. If my dad caught me fighting with my younger brother, I used to get punished. If I complained to my dad that my older brothers were picking on me, he used to say, "well if you sit down right there and don't move, they can't pick on you, can they?" I tell you I got no respect, but I still remember a wonderful piece of advice that my dad shared with me one day when I was having a tantrum. He said, "Jeff come here," and he pointed out the window of our doorwall at a big tree in the woods behind our house, and he said, "do you see that tree out there blowing in the wind?" "Do you see how it bends back and forth and lets the wind blow through it, without breaking?" "You need to be like that tree." It was such a simple thing for him to share with me, but it was really wise, and simple for a kid like me to understand, and it has stuck with me for over 40 years now.

My dad used to work the afternoon shift at the Fisher Body plant in Livonia. So he would leave for work at about 3:30 in the afternoon and get home around midnight. We didn't see him during the week since we were in bed when he got home from work, and we were in school when he left for work. So I remember when we were at home on Saturdays and he was sleeping during the day, we had to try to keep quiet so as to not disturb his sleep. One day I came home from a friend's house and I closed the back door to the garage a little too hard when coming in to our house, and of course, my mom and dad's bedroom was right above the garage. So I woke my dad up and he was mad. He made me go out to the garage and open and close the back garage door very quietly 100 times. I thought to myself, "this is crazy." "If I go out to the garage how is he going to know whether or not I close the door 100 times." "What if I just do 90, or what if I just sit here for 10 minutes and don't do anything." Well I found myself opening and closing the door 110 times because I figured that my dad was somehow counting how many times I did it, and if he counted only 99 times, he would make me go back do it 100 more times. Discipline! He taught me to always do things right the first time, and I will miss him!

Maria

468w ago

To see the video of Taps being played at the Conclusion of the funeral mass for Clifford go to:

https://streamable.com/k2c8

Thank you Justin

Cliff Campeau Jr.

468w ago

Clifford James Campeau Eulogy - October 8, 2016

Thomas Campbell, the Scottish playwright wrote:

“To live in hearts we leave behind, is not to die.”

Based upon all of the sentiments and memories that friends and family have shared with us this week, we know that Dad was loved and we take solace in the fact that he will live on in spirit for a very long time.

On behalf of my Mom, my brothers, sisters and I and our families, we want to thank you for your support and your presence here today to help celebrate my Dad’s life. Whether you travelled cross-town, cross state or across the country… we are deeply appreciative.

My Dad was a man of few words, he said what he meant and meant what he said. At 80 years young, Clifford James Campeau lived a full and satisfying life, accomplishing much. He loved, he served, he provided, he respected others and was respected by all, he cared, he was trusted and he believed deeply in the lord our god.

Today we honor him as a man, a husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle and a friend. As we prepare to celebrate mass, we ask god to look after him as he enters his heavenly kingdom to be reunited with his parents, siblings, grandson Brandon and friends that have preceded him in death.

We know that the love we have for my dad and the wonderful memories that all of us have shared over the last week or so will provide us the strength to carry on in his absence.

In return for your thoughts and prayers, my family and I would like to offer the following blessing to each of you:

“May the sun shine, all day long, everything go right, and nothing wrong. May those you love bring love back to you, and may all the wishes you wish come true!”
Thank you and god bless.