Walda B. Cameron passed away on Wednesday, October 7, surrounded by her family after a long battle with lung cancer. Raised in Freeport, NY, Walda's independent spirit was clear even as a child, rowing her small boat on the canal and digging for clams along the boardwalk. She took great pride in her mother's nursing skills and her father's World Series win as a major league baseball player.

With a degree from Duquesne University, she worked in the heart of Manhattan as an editor at McGraw Hill before deciding to take on a new challenge: law school. As one of the only women in the class, she completed a year at St. John's University where she met her future husband, John B. Cameron. The two were married in 1967 and started a family soon after. After leaving her editorial career she channeled her energy into community advocacy.

Walda was a fierce advocate for women's and civil rights, leading a local chapter of The League of Women Voters with her children in tow. As she got older, she transitioned her activism to social media, taking great pride in fact checking and calling out misinformation to her 14,000 followers.

Though her advocacy will be missed by many, her family will remember her feisty wit and zeal for The New York Times crossword puzzle. Whether playing the accordion while singing show tunes or getting her short stories published in national publications, Walda was a character pulled from the pages of any great novel.

Walda is survived by her three children, Devon, Barclay and Celia, and her two grandchildren, Camryn and Aidan. Per her request, there will be a simple grave-side service on Tuesday, October 13, at 2pm at the Orange County Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Civil Liberties Union or Planned Parenthood to help continue her lifelong fight for our rights and don't forget to vote!