Obituary of Kirsten Campbell Paulos

September 21, 2024

Kirsten Campbell Paulos passed away on September 21, 2024 in her beloved New York City. She was 84 years old. Kirsten was born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey to Vibeke and Norman Campbell. She spent many summers as a child visiting Denmark with her two sisters, and learned to speak fluent Danish. She received her education from the Beard School for Girls and Mount Holyoke College, graduating cum laude. She was a fierce intellectual and an accomplished student.

After college, Kirsten moved to Manhattan with one of her friends from college. They shared an apartment in Chelsea back when the neighborhood was still considered a less desirable place for two young women to live on their own. She found work as a switchboard operator, where she unintentionally disconnected a critical transatlantic call and, in doing so, introduced herself to her future husband, George. Their first date was at a New York Rangers hockey game.

Later, Kirsten secured a position with the U.S. mission to the United Nations. It was there that she found herself at the center of an international diplomatic incident, her photograph splashed across the front page of the New York Times. When the foreign minister of newly-communist Cuba was set to address the assembly, the U.S. delegation chose to show their disapproval by leaving only their most junior member —- Kirsten -- on the floor.

When Kirsten decided to start a family, she and George moved out to the suburbs of New Jersey. As a mother, she was a fierce advocate for her children, Tina and Greg, always willing to go to any lengths to help them succeed. She was the smartest person they have ever known. She worked with unwavering dedication to instill in her children her sense of ethics, intellectual curiosity, and courage to be an agent of change.

While her children were still young, she demonstrated that courage by going to graduate school and becoming one of the first women to get an MBA from Seton Hall University. She began this new part of her career as a loan officer at Chemical Bank, where she worked relentlessly to shatter the glass ceilings in the male-dominated world of finance. Her dedication and skill were evident as she consistently drove significant profits for the bank, eventually rising to the position of Vice President at Chase Bank. In that role, she played a key part in brokering a deal with the New Jersey Devils, helping to finance a team that would go on to win multiple Stanley Cups. She took George on many more dates to see hockey games. During this period, she also mentored a young woman named Joy, finding immense fulfillment in watching her succeed and thrive.

After their children moved out, Kirsten and her husband returned to the city, marking the beginning of what would become the most joyous chapter of her life. Immersing herself in everything she loved about the greatest city in the world, Kirsten became a passionate supporter of the arts, an enthusiastic participant in the city's vibrant cultural scene, and an unwavering friend to her neighbors and fellow city dwellers. She was a beloved exercise partner, a partner-in-crime to her next door neighbor, a dedicated volunteer for multiple nonprofits, a keen card player, a probing book club partner, a vital member of the Judson Memorial Church, and a fearless supporter of numerous causes. Kirsten was a whirlwind of a presence, leaving an impression wherever she went, always standing out — even in a city that prides itself on having seen it all.

It was during this phase of Kirsten's life that she took on her most cherished role of all: the best grandmother anyone could ever have. She was tirelessly devoted to being there for all three of her grandchildren — Olivia, Oscar, and Stella. In a letter from one of those grandchildren, Olivia, found at the very top of Kirsten's drawer of important documents, Olivia expressed what we all feel about Kirsten: 'You have shown me more than I could ever fit into a letter. You taught me class and elegance while also showing me grit and perseverance. I look up to you in every way. You are strong, funny, and beautiful, both inside and out.'

Kirsten is survived by her two children, three grandchildren, her son-in-law Bob and daughter-in-law Posha, her two sisters Lise and Karen, their children David, Kate, and Carolyn, as well as many beloved Danish cousins.

We miss you, Kirsten.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Judson Memorial Church,239 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012