CLEVELAND, Ohio — Leighton Ray Campbell, 29, passed away at the Cleveland Clinic on Friday, Aug. 24.

Leighton was the much beloved son of Davil and Maureen (Renee) Campbell of Mechanic Falls. He was born in Lewiston, April 22, 1983, to Raymond and Maureen Jasper of Auburn. When Leighton was 20-months-old his father passed away. At Leighton’s age of three — Davil Campbell became his daddy. Leighton was a challenging child, but because he belonged to a stable family, much TLC and support came from his related “villagers,” he became an extremely loving and compassionate man.

He had many acquaintances and several close friends. He was loved by all who really knew him. Leighton grew up in Mechanic Falls — graduating from Poland High School in 2001.

Since childhood, Leighton’s passion was music. He was a musician of many, many instruments without having had one lesson. At one time, he gave private guitar lessons. While healthy, he was in several bands and groups. Christian music was his favorite. He sang as well. He performed for the Lord with others at his church, Grace Community of Auburn. It was there that he continued to grow, under the leadership of Pastor David Bochtler, to be the kindest person one would ever want to meet. He would never speak against anyone and he truly hated gossip.

At a very young age, he came down with a condition called primary pulmonary hypertension. This stopped him from playing contact sports, but did not impede him from anything else. He was an excellent bowler (when he wasn’t writing music).

Leighton married Ashley Morin from Brunswick, Oct. 24, 2004. Together they had a daughter, Sera Raye on April 13, 2007. Leighton and Ashley later divorced.

At the age of 27, on June 28, 2010, Leighton went to the Cleveland Clinic for a heart and double lung transplant. This surgery is not often heard of. The first year-and-a-half following the surgery, Leighton was very happy — breathing normally — something he hadn’t done for years.

This year (2012) was a very hard year for Leighton. Because of his immune system being so compromised, a small lesion (later diagnosed as a fungus most of us with healthy immune systems fight off every day) became larger and larger in spite of in-hospital treatments.

It then entered his bloodstream and migrated to his brain. He entered Maine Medical Center in Portland on June 14. His mom was with him during that time, but then he had to be transferred by medical jet to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio on Aug. 8, with his dad aboard. Around the clock, his dad sat in a recliner beside him — holding his hand and kissing his head over and over again for the next 17 days. Only his father returned home.

Though our hearts are heavy with the loss of our only son, we are assured as to where Leighton’s spirit is. We believe he’s playing a top-notch golden instrument for our Lord. We give praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for lending Leighton to us to love for 29 years. We thank Him for all things.

We’d also like to thank all friends and relatives for their cards, monies and visits to Leighton, most especially Kim Libby Harding and her girls from Lewiston.

The first love of Leighton’s life was God. Next in line would be his 5-year-old daughter, Sera Raye. He was so proud of every little thing she accomplished as a youngster. The fact that she looks just like him didn’t hurt either (smile).

Leighton is survived by his parents, Dave and Maureen (Renee) Campbell of Park Street, Mechanic Falls; his daughter, Sera Raye Campbell of Freeport; his ex-wife, Ashley Hall of Freeport; one brother, Bill Jasper of Florida; one sister, Erika Tracy Varle of Turner; Leighton is also survived by aunts and their husbands, Dale (Paul) Bernard of Turner, Andrea Davis of Buckfield, Tracy (Russell) Gilbert of Buckfield, Lisa (Timothy) Gilbert of Turner, Tammy (Robert) Allen of Buckfield, Doreen Richard of Rumford, Delores (Robert) Hebert of Denver, Colo., Delaine (Robert) Fugere of Sabattus, Darlene (Galen) Davis of Gardiner and Sandra (Gerald) Lowe of Oxford; he is also survived by two uncles and their wives, H. Everett (Laurie) Leonard of Turner and George (Diane) Estabrook of Auburn; and many cousins, all of whom he truly loved.

He was predeceased by his biological father, Raymond C. Jasper; his uncle, Chuck Davis; as well as all his grandparents.

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