Wedding Honors Grandparents’ Legacy
Some weddings gain significance due to their location, others because of the people who attend. For Samantha Albright and Josh Campbell, their intimate ceremony in Aurora was memorable due to two individuals who could not be there. Their wedding took place in Chet and Judy Albright Park on Iowa Avenue, a park named after Samantha’s grandparents, both cherished by their family and community.
As they planned their wedding, the couple considered several venues. But as they reflected on who would be present and who would be absent, the choice became clear and meaningful. Chet Albright, who passed away in 2017, grew up at Mooseheart, where he met Judy, his wife of 56 years. Chet served as Aurora’s first 6th Ward alderman, a role that significantly impacted the city, according to current Ald. Mike Saville, who succeeded him in 1987. Chet’s tenure on the Aurora City Council helped the city transition to a new form of government. He chaired the Plan Commission and contributed to forming the first economic development office, shaping the growth of the far East Side of Aurora after the Fox Valley Mall was established.
Outside of politics, Chet owned Northgate Barber Shop and engaged with the Boys Baseball of Aurora, the Batavia Moose, and the Aurora Rotary clubs. His wife, Judy, worked with special needs children at Hope Wall School in Aurora. They were known for their love of family and children, Saville noted, and their ability to make everyone feel valued. Although Judy was quiet, Samantha noted that her grandfather was an extrovert, known for remembering faces and names wherever they went.
The 26-year-old bride fondly recalls her grandparents as her biggest supporters, never missing her school or sports events, even if that meant long drives to her softball games. Among Samantha’s cherished memories are conversations with her grandfather in the four-seasons room, where he shared stories and practiced speeches with her, stories that have become treasured family memories.
Samantha and Josh Campbell exchanged vows in a ceremony attended by about 16 close family members. One of the ceremony’s highlights was when they exchanged rings. Joshua Campbell and Samantha Albright wed on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the park named in honor of her grandparents, former alderman Chet Albright and his wife Judy, whose words inspired a tattoo on Samantha’s arm.
After Chet’s sudden passing from a heart attack following a basketball game at Mooseheart, Judy gifted Samantha the wedding bands she and her husband had worn. These rings remained in safekeeping until Samantha and Josh’s engagement made their use appropriate. Saville expressed delight upon learning that the young couple chose the park he helped name in honor of Chet and Judy, a couple who devoted much of their lives to the community. Samantha recalls car rides with her grandfather, who pointed out the changes in Aurora while maintaining a positive view of his hometown.
The park on Iowa Street in West Aurora, dedicated in 2023 to the Albrights, hosted the couple’s ceremony. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, Samantha wore a tattoo on her forearm, inspired by a card from Judy, urging her to enrich others’ lives, a sentiment that encapsulated the spirit of the day as she and Josh promised their lives to each other. Her grandparents, Samantha insisted, were the foundation of both her life and their special day.