Bettine "Tina" Campbell

Our Nana, Tina Campbell, passed away peacefully in bed, at home, in a Viking Faire shirt, with The Price Is Right playing softly in the background—Bob Barker edition, of course. It was a perfectly iconic scene for her last moment.

Born Bettine Joy Schultz on December 3, 1941, in Huntington, Long Island, she was the daughter of Malcolm G. Schultz and Julia Piquet. She attended Miami Edison High School and later Adelphi Business School. On July 13, 1958, she married Robert Don Campbell—and together they had four daughters: Laurie, Theresa, Kelly, and Jeanne.

Tina married young, and it wasn’t always easy. Her love story took many turns—divorces, daily love letters, reunions, and separations. The marriage wasn’t perfect, but with Papa, she raised four daughters—each strong-willed, creative, and unique. And she didn’t just love them; she defended them fiercely. She was the mom who would storm the school if something wasn’t right. The mom who let her kids bring ducks into the bathtub, ponies into the house, and a whole slew of hamsters into the home because that’s what they needed.

Her life stretched across many roles—artist, mother, designer, caretaker—and in each of them, she left her mark. She was a creator, a problem-solver, a mother of girls, and an artist through and through. She taught us how to use pastels and thread a needle, how to stand up for ourselves, and how to be unrelenting when the moment called for it—sometimes painfully so. But most of all, she supported her girls’ passions. Whether it was dance, animals, photography—you name it—she believed in her girls and wanted to fuel their fire.

She lived with fierce love and wit, biting humor, bold opinions, and a deep, unwavering instinct to care for others. If you needed a place to stay, you stayed. If you needed a job, she’d find some work around the house you could do. If someone messed with her kids, grandkids, or anyone she loved—well, God help them.

She was endlessly curious. She devoured books, loved learning about science and physics, and was a writer, photo editor, and political commentator all in one. She believed in speaking truth, even when it stung. Her door was always open—many lived with her for months, welcomed without question. She had an uncanny ability to rescue people, again and again.

She moved through the world with an artist’s eye and a fighter’s heart. Whether designing costumes for ballet companies or arranging a room with just the right color palette, Tina saw beauty where others didn’t think to look. But she was just as grounded in practicality. She worked hard, doing what had to be done with grit and grace—even when it was far from glamorous. She founded Destination New York, working to design, sew, and sell warm-up pants to help fund her daughter’s way through college. She would do whatever it took. She made life feel abundant, even when it wasn’t.

And boy did she adore her grandchildren, who carry her spark forward. She loved to see them or hear from them, even in the wee hours of the night, and would just sit and watch each of them whenever they were together. She loved to see them as they played, imagined, talked, and learned. She would brag about all their accomplishments to anyone who would listen. Her legacy lives in each of them: Robert, Joshua, Rachel, Wayne, Johnny, Joey, Anthony, Alexandria, and Alex. She got to hold, and love on, and look at with pride so many of her great-grandchildren: Christian, JJ, Maverick, Madison, Payton, Krew, Riley, Heidi, Campbell, Kaneil, and Elliana. Her life was her family, and it was the thing she was most proud of.

She also leaves behind a wide and wild network of in-laws, family friends, and honorary kids she “adopted” over the years—including many who credit her with showing up when they needed kindness most.

Nana was a world-class worrier—anxious, even—but always because she cared so deeply. She wanted to know everyone was safe, fed, and okay. Even when she couldn’t recall the details, her heart still knew who mattered. She’d ask about her people over and over, not out of confusion but out of love that refused to loosen its grip. Her worry was her way of holding on, and in that holding, she reminded us that being cared for so much is a gift.

Tina Campbell lived an imperfect, dazzling, incredible life—the kind you remember. The kind that changes people. She was brilliant, wild, protective, patient, and stubborn as hell. Her love came with spice, and her legacy is etched into the hearts of the generations that live on.

We will carry her legacy in strong opinions, open doors, and an open heart.

In her honor, please watch an old Fred Astaire musical, curse out a politician, or bring a stray animal (or child) into your home. She would’ve.

A private family remembrance was held in her beloved Florida, with her favorite lakehouse view.

Nana was funny and smart—and certainly, she was unforgettable.

She was ours. And we’re gonna miss her so very much.