Courtney Kampa

 

“If grace could be defined it’d be a very quiet phrase.” By Courtney Kampa

Courtney Kampa, loving wife, beloved daughter and sister, is presumed to have passed peacefully in her sleep at her Nashville home on November 14th, 2022.

It will be impossible to recover from the loss of this uniquely talented, brilliant, funny, sensitive, independent styled beauty, whom God called home way too early. 

Courtney grew up in a joyful home as the oldest of her four sisters. Rarely seen apart and known locally as the Kampa Girls, they were close in age and shared a love of ballet and musical theater, but most of all fun which they had often together.

A natural beauty, she was known for her grace, sarcasm, curious mind and sharp wit. She loved the ultra feminine, even from a young age. Toddling around in her Mother’s high heels when she could hardly walk, she would later pair this with a love of kimonos, head scarfs, bright colors and whimsical patterns. Her beauty was honest, something that just happened, and her style was truly all her own. 

Courtney attended the University of Virginia where she met and fell in love with her future husband, Will Anderson. They dated later for three years and married in 2017. Throughout their marriage, they shared a love of simple things like Mexican food, word games, walks with their dogs, British crime dramas, visiting coffee shops and relaxing on the back porch talking, while their pups played in the backyard.

She went on to pursue a successful career in poetry after receiving her MFA from Columbia University. She was widely published and received numerous awards for her work including being selected by the National Book Award winner Mary Szybist for the New Issues Press First Book Award. Her book, Our Lady of Not Asking Why, was published in 2018 to critical and peer acclaim. She was also awarded the prestigious Stegnor Fellowship at Stanford University in 2017, where she wrote and studied for two years.

She loved teaching writing and loved her students. She was a professor of undergraduate writing at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Lipscomb University and Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She also held private workshops with post-grads who were interested in writing poetry. She worked with many of her students for years, and showed a fierce loyalty to helping them discover their own voice and writing style. 

She could be found working on her own writing whilst surrounded by ceiling high piles of books, a pencil nested in her hair, and notes written on her hands sitting amidst a garden of indoor plants. 

She had a kind, sensitive heart with a deep love for people and animals. She served her two rescue dogs Eddie and Georgie “puppychinos” daily and always cuddled them while she worked or relaxed. 

She had a particular love and care for children, thoughtfully sending her nieces and nephews books in the mail, and often spoke of wanting her own children some day. 

Courtney made anyone who crossed her path feel loved. She was loving and gentle with everyone she met, whether making friends with someone in the checkout line or by helping her students that she taught feel inspired and confident. 

No one can ever fill the gaping hole that is left by our beautiful, strong, graceful, brilliant, and loving Courtney. We are devastated by the loss but can smile reading Courtney's previously published words, ”My stray blondes…stitching me to you, and you, holding out your hand…”, knowing that her presence will always be felt. 

Courtney is survived by her husband Will Anderson, parents Joe and Kathleen Kampa, sisters Keenan (David), Meggie (Mattox), and Grace Kampa.

 Funeral arrangements in Virginia include a Rosary Visitation at St Theresa Catholic Church, Ashburn, VA Sunday, November 20th from 3:00-4:00pm

Funeral Mass at St John the Beloved in McLean, VA Monday, November 21st, 12:30pm, followed by burial at 2:00 pm at Fairfax Memorial Cemetery, Fairfax VA (4401 Burke Station Road)

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to Wags and Walks of Nashville — a nonprofit organization and a dedicated community of dog lovers working to reduce euthanasia in local shelters and increase awareness of rescue dogs being wonderful pets.