Flower

Ave Maria Couple to Celebrate Fifth Gyrene Gala

By Natalie Leeke

February 16, 2009

You may have seen the Campbells “stroller-ing” around Ave Maria. They like to enjoy the evening breeze, beautiful sunsets... and all the blessings that have come their way in the past few years.

Knowing their delightful story, I had asked to interview them for an article in preparation for the Gyrene Gala. The couple—then Erin Wenck and Robert Emmett Campbell—met at AMU’s second annual Gyrene Gala in 2006. 

If you’ve been in their kitchen, you may have noticed a statue of Padre Pio. Erin reminded me, “We were married on the Feast of Padre Pio.” 

“We keep his statue in the kitchen. He’s Italian, so I figure he wants the kitchen, right?” Bob quips in his non-chalante New Jersey accent. 

Erin had graduated from Ave Maria College in Ypsilanti, MI, with a Theology degree in 2003, the second graduating class. When asked why she chose Ave Maria, she cited the usual answers—brand new school, a lot of great professors, small classes-, a lot of one-on-one... But she more naturally summed it up, saying, “It felt like a family.” After gradutaion, she began work for Ave Maria University in Florida as an assistant librarian, helping to set up the library in its new but temporary home. In June of 2004, Erin joined the Marines. Okinawa, Japan, was her first deployment and she was stationed there as military police for one year. 

And it’s a good thing she did. Otherwise, she may never have heard of or attended the Gyrene Gala in 2006. 

Bob had visited the temporary campus of Ave Maria University at the Vineyards in Naples for Mass one day. At the time, Bob was vacationing from his  job as a bank officer in Hoboken, NJ. His family had vacationed at La Playa in Naples since the early nineties. While on campus, Bob met staff member, Rich Dittus, who explained how the Founder program helps support the school. Bob signed up right then and there.

It was a good thing he did. Otherwise, he may never have heard about or attended the Gyrene Gala in 2006.

Bob had graduated from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and is a former Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and a Gulf War Veteran. So the event definitely perked his interest. Perhaps, though, not quite as much as the beautiful blond he saw when he arrived at the Gala.

Erin must have noticed him too. She was able to recount the story moment by moment, albeit with a bit of humor, “He was six-one, with blue eyes and dark hair. We saw each other across... Actually, he nodded at me and I thought he looked familiar so I nodded back,” she shrugged, smiled and went on. “Some old man bought me a glass of wine...” I had to stop her there and ask, “That old man or a different one?” They’re a good humored couple.
Erin made quite an impression on Bob. He told me, “She was honored at the Gala as Ave Maria’s first Marine! Everybody spontaneously broke out in, “From the halls of Montezu-uma, to the shores of Tri-po-li!” The two quipped back and forth about how accurate that was, “Honey, they want drama on the front page!” One thing is certain: Bob is very proud of his wife for her service in the Marine Corps, and that during unpleasant times.

The chance to win her heart might have passed him by; it was moving into the dessert portion of the evenings activities. Bob finally ruffled his feathers and asked his “wing man,” Uncle Don Campbell, an New Jersey attorney, former Marine officer and Vietnam veteran, to introduce them. 

There had been a lot of “eye flirting” going on between the two, so he made bold and said, “Are you married?” She replied, “My sister’s married.” That didn’t stop Bob, though. “You know what you need? You need to marry a former Marine staff sergeant who was in the infantry, who is a gulf war veteran... deep sea diver... graduated from Steubenville, likes to run marathons... in short,  a hero!”“Well, she didn’t say no, and I got her phone number,” Bob recounts. Erin then took over the story, “He called the next day. I was laying on the beach and didn’t call back till that night.” (Good girl!) 

She explains, “I was trying not to encourage him. I was leaving in two days to report to my next duty station,” she explained. “He called every evening for two months. Erin was traveling quite a bit and they distance-dated between New Jersey and the mid-west. 

The proposal was truly military style. Bob simply told her his intentions and they exchanged dog tags. Erin says, “At the time I didn’t know what I didn’t know what i was getting into. But everything was just…right.”

Fr. Bob Garrity, AMU’s Campus Minister, agreed to give them their marriage preparation classes. They both flew to Florida for the classes. All too soon, they found out that Erin’s unit was getting called up to Iraq and the wedding arrangements would have to be changed.
Father helped them arrange the wedding around Erin’s schedule. 

They were surrounded by family and friends when they exchanged vows in Stella Maris Chapel on the feast of Padre Pio, September 23, 2006. They had their reception at La Playa Resort in Naples. 

They both agreed, “It never would have happened without Fr. Garrity. He was our wedding planner! When we went to buy flowers, Father had already been there! He had asked them to arrange something special for a wedding in Stella Maris Chapel. All we had to do was pick the colors! He even arranged for the music. It was his joy to do it.” 

They had both met Fr. Bob at the Gyrene Gala. Bob jokes, “I met the wife and the priest that night!” 
They were proud to tell me they’ve made it to the Gyrene Gala every year since! This will be their fourth one, February 28, 2009.

In February of 2008, they bought a home in Ave Maria. They enjoy the small town feel of the neighborhood. “We love the parish life in Ave Maria! We both grew up Catholic with a lot of kids around. We love to see all the children around the neighborhood.” On April 30th, 2008, they were blessed with one of their own, Marie Inez. 

The Campbell’s may have found the right person and the right location for their “happily ever after”. They had to agree, “Like last night, we went for a walk, and stopped for a coffee (We love The Bean!) and just watched the sun set over the church. It was just nice, you know?”
Both are licensed realtors, and Bob’s slogan is, “It’s time to buy a paradise.” Although there will always be some trouble in any earthly paradise, I think both Erin and Bob feel that they’ve found theirs.