Laursel Cambell, 80; Mourned by Many, Including Friends of La Mesa Library

Even after passing, Laursel Cambell continues to raise money for the Friends of La Mesa Library, the organization she volunteered with every Wednesday for three years.

When she was told her recurrent breast cancer had metastasized to her brain and spine, Cambell bequeathed many of her own books to the bookstore and, in lieu of flowers, requested donations be sent there instead.

“Laursel was a delight in the bookstore,” said La Mesa librarian Liz Hildreth.  “She was smart and funny.  She was very generous with her time … Her smile will be greatly missed.”

Laursel Rose Cambell, 80, died Aug. 22 in her home in La Mesa where she lived for 31 years. Her tendency to welcome everyone with open arms left her with many more children than those born to her. She  is survived by her daughters Laura, Cameron, Esther and Elia; her sons David, Nick and Steve; her grandchildren Danny and Natalie; and her sister Margaret.

Aside from books, Cambell had many passions and was a minister of metaphysics. She served as a marriage officiant for her daughters Cameron and Laura.

She was interested in numerology, Buddhism and music, and involved in several organizations, including Thimble Collectors International and San Diego chapters and the Japanese Friendship Garden of San Diego where a memorial plaque will be placed by her family.

A single mother since the 1970s, she worked as a legal secretary to make ends meet for her three teenage children. It was a challenge for Cambell, but she held the family together, according to daughter Cameron Cartiere who served as her mom’s caretaker.

Cartiere says her mom created a warm and safe home environment.

“My mom was the Kool-Aid mom,” she said. “We were the house where everybody gathered. You knew you were welcome; you knew you could bring your friends. There was always room.”

Even after her children were grown and married, Cambell’s home served as the central hub for family members living nearby. They carried out many traditions there, including an elaborate family dinner every Thursday night complete with cocktails and appetizers.

“My mom just loved that,” said Cartiere, an academic at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC.

The family hosted the dinners each year from Cambell’s birthday in May to Labor Day. In honor of their matriarch, they continued the tradition Thursday, which would have been their final dinner of the year.

Cambell will be remembered by many, including Joe Glidden, the former president of the Friends of La Mesa Library, who considered Cambell a dear friend and a great asset to the bookstore.

He says her previous legal experience gave her the understanding necessary to set up an efficient office environment. He credits much of the bookstore’s success to her expertise.

“Mrs. Cambell was a dynamo,” he said, remembering when she first came on board. “[S]he had more good ideas that first day than I was ever able to put into place during our years of working together.”

Glidden says beyond Cambell’s business skill, she cared most for the customers and seemed to have a knack for “discovering their interests.” She also helped donate books to Helix Charter High School.

“Mrs. Cambell believed that every book deserved a place on someone's shelf, and worked tirelessly to find a good home for even our saddest case,” he said via email. “Our box of weeds would soon disappear as she foraged around to find the right book for the right customers.”

No memorial service will be held, though her family plans to host a private celebration of life at a later date. More information on Cambell can be found on her official Death Notice announcement.