Camille wasn’t known for being a wallflower. In fact, anything but. Whether it was the rainbow palette she enjoyed wearing, her passion for creative hobbies or her vibrant personality, Camille brought color and originality wherever she went.
Those who loved Camille Van Kirk – husband Ken; children Ken, Stephanie (John), Paul (Kim) and Matt (Stephanie); grandchildren Celeste (Austin), Kenny, Andy, Rebecca, Adam, Nathan and Julia; sisters Suzanne (Jay) Gubrium and Kathy (Mike) McInerney sister and brother-in-law Kathleen and Dave Poremba – grieve the loss of this vibrant soul after she passed peacefully on October 21, following a slow decline from Alzheimer’s.
She was born Camille Kish on September 6, 1941 in Wyandotte, Michigan. The eldest of three children born to Albert and Gizella Kish, Camille’s early childhood was spent playing with sisters Suzanne and Kathy. She attended Fordson High School where she was a social butterfly who sang in the choir and wrote for the school newspaper.
After graduating in 1958, Camille attended the University of Michigan and Henry Ford Community College. While there she befriended a man who would later become her brother-in-law. He suggested she write a letter to his brother in the Navy, then stationed in San Francisco. The two began a letter writing friendship and -- not entirely by coincidence -- Camille took a trip to California shortly after where she met Ken in person. They began dating and soon after, Camille moved to California and rented an apartment. Camille and Ken then married on June 2, 1962.
Camille gave birth to Kenny the following year in California before the family moved cross-country for Ken’s new job in the White House Communications Agency. Daughter Stephanie was born in Maryland in 1965. Life as a young mother was challenging, with two small children and a husband who worked long hours, but Camille rose to the challenge. She learned to cook meals from scratch, manage the family’s tight budget and sew clothes for the kids.
The family moved back to Michigan in 1967 where Ken worked at Control Data, then Ford Motor Company and went to night school. They made their home in Redford initially then moved to Canton in 1976. Camille gave birth to sons Paul in 1969 and Matt in 1970. Now as a busy mom of four, Camille kicked into high gear. She juggled meals, grocery shopping, PTA meetings and the kids' soccer, baseball, football, cross country, and basketball practices and games. She was outspoken when necessary, like when she fought the local School Board when they proposed the recategorization of ketchup as a vegetable in school lunches. (Camille won that battle!)
With a desire to better herself, Camille chose to go back to college when her kids became teenagers, eventually earning an associate's degree from Schoolcraft College in Medical Records Coding. She then worked at MPRO and Veteran’s Hospital before finishing her career at University of Michigan Hospital (now Michigan Medicine). Camille took great pride in being a working mother, often joked about having to decipher physicians’ horrible handwriting and was grateful for the lasting friendships she made with colleagues.
Camille was a very capable cook but truly excelled at baking. You name it – cakes, cookies, the best cheesecakes ever, etc, – she made them all delicious. One of her favorite desserts was a nod to her Hungarian heritage – a multi-layered spongecake called a Dobish torte. After realizing how many hours it took to make, the feisty Camille told her family she would only make future iterations for herself on her birthday – which she did!
In 1994, Camille became a grandmother which was one of her most cherished roles. She had seven grandchildren in all, and loved every stage with them, from rocking or feeding them as babies to treating them to the annual Santa and Easter Bunny brunches at Macy’s to doing puzzles, playing games, baking, and decorating the Christmas tree with them. She was always anxious to talk with her grandkids, lovingly peppering them with questions about school, friends, sports or future plans.
After a 25-year career, Camille retired in 2006 to enjoy more time with her family, read more of her beloved murder mystery novels, travel and spend more time doing hobbies. And what hobbies she had!
Her true artistic talent was revealed in Camille’s creative hobbies, of which there were many. Camille did sewing, quilting, ceramics, jewelry making, crocheting, needle point, basket weaving, painting, sketching and coloring -- a master at all! But if you complimented her obvious innate creative talent, Camille would – in her very humble way – say there was no greatness involved. She’d tell you she taught herself like anyone could, and remind you she had plenty of screw-ups along the way too.
Despite the awful 70s fashion trends of the day, Camille made amazing clothing for her children. Later in life, she created the most envied Halloween costumes for her grandchildren – many of which without any patterns! – including Buzz Lightyear, Po from the Teletubbies and “Super WHY!”, the TV cartoon superhero.
Her sewing pastime turned into somewhat of an obsession, finding it hard to drive past a JOANN’s or Hancock Fabric store without stopping, and sales were especially tempting! Camille would even purchase unique fabrics, buttons or patterns, each a treasure unto itself, with grand plans of what she would make with each one.
She shared her sewing and quilting hobbies with her daughter Stephanie, and the two made a vacation out of it when they drove with their spouses to a well-known quilting store in Missouri in 2016.
Camille and Ken's travels also took them to France and Finland, on an Alaskan cruise and to wineries across Michigan and California.
Camille was a “foodie” before it was trendy, with true appreciation for gourmet food and unique dishes. Garlic was her favorite seasoning and was known for eating it in copious amounts almost anytime of day. She loved to visit Trader Joe’s, Holiday Market or Fresh Thyme – even if just to browse the aisles – and would excitedly tell friends or family about the unique purple sweet potato or giant rotini noodles she picked up. She delighted in meals eaten at fine restaurants with The Earle and Common Grill amongst her favorites, and looked forward to her “birthday lobster and crab cakes” once a year, flashing a big grin for a photo in her obnoxious lobster bib.
Ever the conversationalist, Camille loved having robust discussions about world events or politics with friends old and new. She was intrigued by meeting new people wherever she went. By the end of a dinner out, she could likely tell you all about the waitress: where she’s attending school, what her major is and what city she lives in.
Like the beautiful art and handmade items she created, Camille was colorful and one-of-a-kind. She brightened the lives of all who loved her the past 79 years, and for that we’ll be forever grateful. We'll cherish our memories of Camille and will forever miss the sound of her voice lovingly calling us "toots" or "kiddo."
We know friends and family would love to share memories of Camille in person, but her family has chosen not to have a public funeral or memorial due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we encourage everyone to share a photo (
https://www.forevermissed.com/camille-vankirk/gall...) or a story (
https://www.forevermissed.com/camille-vankirk/stor...) of Camille, or you can leave a tribute below.
Donations can be made in Camille’s honor to Michigan Medicine’s Silver Club Memory Programs, where Camille spent quality time enjoying the program specifically crafted for those experiencing dementia. Click here to donate:
https://bit.ly/3dSgwO7.