Lucille Campilongo Obituary

Lucille Campilongo
03/30/1930 - 06/12/2025
Lucille Campilongo, passed away peacefully, on June 12, 2025, surrounded by her loving family, during her last days.
Lucille was born in San Francisco on March 30, 1930 to Giuseppe and Angelina Burrafato. She lived in the North Beach neighborhood, where she made many life-long friends. Lucille attended Presentation High School, and made fond memories performing in various musical shows. During that time, she met Victor Campilongo, whom she later married in 1950.
Lucille's life was dedicated to her family. She was an amazing homemaker who valued a clean, active household where good food abounded. Lucille loved to cook and was always refining those skills and expanding her collection of recipes, her husband and children being the well fed beneficiaries of her talent. She took great pride in hosting family holiday dinners, welcoming and including friends who would otherwise be alone.
As her children approached adulthood, Lucille wrote a manuscript of recipes and housekeeping tips for those domestically challenged, titling it "Lucia's Survival Guide." Some 30 years later, the family published it, and the manuscript became Lucia's Survival Guide and Cookbook. Lucille and her book were featured on the Today Show, and for a time, the book was the number one selling cookbook on the New York Time's Bestseller List.
In addition to her homemaking and writing, Lucille had talents as a painter and a knitter. She loved to travel both domestically and abroad. She especially enjoyed visiting her parent's home country of Italy where she could connect with her extended family.
Lucille's love for family and friends was equaled only by her love of dogs. Lucille and her husband owned two beloved Irish terriers, who were full standing family members, and Lucille could be seen on any given day standing over a stove, cooking for her dogs. Lucille more than once stated that she wanted her tombstone to read "Dog's Best Friend."
Lucille was predeceased by her husband, Victor M. Campilongo; and her four brothers, Sam Burrafato, Manny Burrafato, John Burrafato and George Burrafato.
Lucille's warmth and humor will be greatly missed. She is survived by her three children, Victor Campilongo Jr., Lisa Campilongo (Andrew Wilson), and Gina Campilongo Friedman (Allen Friedman); and by her beloved grandchildren, Victoria Heron (Jess), Nicholas Wilson, Gianna Tucker (Jonathan), Matthew Friedman, and step-granddaughter, Alexandra Wilson (Jed); and great-grandchildren, Caleb Heron, London Tucker; and step-granddaughter, June Olemann.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to all the caregivers of The Golden Home, in San Rafael, and to Anchor Hospice, for their loving care and support.
A private Memorial Service will be held at a later date.