Marie Campasano, of Concord, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother passed away at 65 years old on Monday, October 19, 2020. She was born as Maria Elena Diaz Gomez in Marianao, La Habana, Cuba on February 27, 1955 as the second child of her family. She was ardently loved by her late father, Francisco Diaz as well as her mother, Maria De Las Nieves Gomez, and her siblings: Francisco Diaz, Rolando R. Diaz, Maria T. Diaz and her younger brother, Dr. Lazaro A. Diaz, who was like her own child and godson. She came to the United States with her family in 1968 to escape the horrors of Communism. They settled in New York where she attended Newton High School in Elmhurst, NY and graduated in 1973. In 1977 she married her husband, Vincent A. Campasano at Our Lady of Fatima, Jackson Heights, NY after only 9 months of courtship. After 43 years of marriage, Vinny still called her "honey bunny." He was the luckiest of men to gain the wisdom of her untamed spirit and the depth of her love, which at times was not easy because he had to share her with the world; she loved everyone and everyone truly loved her. Her infectious smile and zest for life was contagious and changed people's lives. In 1990, the Campasano's settled in Concord, MA to raise their two children, Michael and Christina, and to enjoy the family life of a small town. She welcomed Timothy Plante and Lorna Gilbert into their family when they married her children. From then on, she always said she had 4 children, not 2. She loved them as her own. She enjoyed family gatherings and cooking foods from all over the world. Her children and grandchildren often requested her Cuban food, arroz con pollo and empanadas. Her cooking was not only delicious, but also good for the soul. Her love for service and empathy made her choose a career in nursing. She did the long road to nursing education while raising her two small children. She became a LPN in 1988 from Waltham Weston School of Practical Nursing. Education was imperative for Marie. Her dad always told her that education was the only thing "no one could take away from you." She obtained her Associates Degree at Middlesex Community College, followed by her undergraduate and graduate degrees at UMASS Lowell, graduating top of her nursing class. She became an Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner and worked for the VA Medical Center in Boston until her early retirement in 2017, due to failing health. Her selflessness and feeling of honor was evident in the time she served and advocated for veterans. Her greatest pride and joy were her grandchildren Mackenzie, Lucas and Mila who lovingly called her ABI (short for Abuela in Spanish) with whom she spent most of her free time. Marie's wondrous and curious spirit brought her to many countries. Her philosophy of life was "it is through meeting people from other countries and other cultures that you get to know yourself." She made long lasting friendships from all over the world. She participated and volunteered in three medical missions with Global Smile Foundation, a non-profit which provides free cleft palate and cleft lip surgeries to remote areas of Trujillo, Peru and Santiago de Atitlan, Guatemala. It was her dream to retire and continue to volunteer on these amazing missions and explore many more travel destinations, but ampullary and endometrial cancers had different plans for her. She loved music, dancing, and poetry. She was so proud to have been born the same day as her favorite poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and for years she would write a poem for their birthday and go visit his tomb at Mount Auburn Cemetery. She was a passionate hockey fan, as attested by her vast collection of hockey memorabilia. It is a testament to her life that she impacted so many people with her love, care and compassion. She will be greatly missed. Services were private for immediate family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Global Smile Foundation , 101 Access Rd, #205, Norwood, MA 02062 or to MGH Center for Cancer Research . Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.