Abbeville's Sharon Campisi loses seven-year battle with breast cancer

After a seven-year battle with breast cancer, the former Abbeville First-Lady Sharon Ann Vincent Campisi lost her battle on Thursday.
Campisi was 62 years old.
She was married to former Abbeville mayor Larry Campisi, who was mayor from 1980 to 1984. The two were married for 43 years. They have two children: Jennifer and Dominic.
Vincent’s Funeral Home in Abbeville is handling the arrangements.
Visiting hours will be today from 10 in the morning until 8 tonight. The funeral home will reopen Saturday morning from 8 until the procession leaves for St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church at 10:45 a.m. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Magdalen in Abbeville.
She will be laid to rest at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Sharon became an advocate to raise money to help find a cure for breast cancer. She was a member of the parish group - Links des Pink, which helps raise money for finding a cure for breast cancer. In memory of Sharon, contributions can be made to Links des Pink.
Jennifer, her daughter, said her mother knew she was dying the last two weeks while in the hospital. Jennifer wrote a journal of her mother’s final two weeks. In the journal, she wrote of conversations they had.
“It was amazing,” said Jennifer. “She talked about seeing the light. It renewed my faith. She was at peace with dying. ”
Jennifer said one of the conversations she had with her mother was about her mother seeing “spiritual kids.” Sharon told her daughter the “spiritual kids” were God’s gift to her.
Sharon passed away at 2:30 Thursday morning. Before Jennifer received a phone call from the hospital informing her of her mother’s death, Jennifer said a noise startled her and awoke her. Then the phone call came. Before the nurse could say anything, Jennifer asked the nurse, “Does my father know?” He did not at the time. Jennifer informed her dad about his wife’s death.
One thing Sharon did like to do was travel. She has been all over the world. Before she became ill two weeks ago, she had planned to travel to Canada with a group of ladies. The friends thought about cancelling the trip because of her illness, but Sharon encouraged them to travel. Before they left, they visited her in the hospital. The ladies left for Canada Wednesday. Sharon died a few hours after they arrived.
Marilyn Hebert, along with four friends, got the news of Sharon’s death Thursday morning.
“If it was not for Sharon, we would not be on this trip,” said Marilyn from Canada. “Sharon insisted we go.”
The group decided to continue their trip despite the death of their friend because it is what Sharon would have wanted.
She will be missed, Marilyn said.
The friends also believe Sharon is with them in spirit, because she died a few hours after they arrived in Canada.
“We know she is with us,” said Marilyn.