Always Looking for Adventure
Rebekah (Somes) Crampton Kamukala ’59 never thought that her degree in home economics would take her to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, or to Mongolia and China as an exchange judge, or even a 23-year career in Juvenile Court, but she’s very glad that it did. “Each chapter of my life has offered new opportunities, and I’ve always had a zeal for new adventures,” said Kamukala.
After graduating from UMass Amherst in 1959, she went on to teach cooking and sewing at a high school in eastern Massachusetts. But it wasn’t long before her passion to travel and experience different cultures took hold and she accepted a teaching position with a mission school in Izmir, Turkey. During the four years that she taught at the school, she traveled extensively throughout Turkey, Egypt, Greece and Europe.
In 1965, Kamukala met Hal Crampton, a G.I. stationed with NATO forces in Izmir. They returned to the states to marry in 1966, settling in Springfield, MA. Together they had two children and adopted a third. As the children entered school, the topic of school integration became prevalent. “Our adopted son was mixed race and there were a lot of negative feelings about integrating schools. I just couldn’t remain silent,” she recalled. Kamukala became involved with the Quality Integration Education Committee and worked closely with lawyers preparing a plan for the local school department.
The experience opened her eyes to the legal system and a new direction for her life. She enrolled in Western New England College and earned her law degree in 1978. After operating a private practice for several years, Governor Michael Dukakis appointed her to the Springfield Juvenile Court Bench in 1986. “The work was, and still is, sad, poignant, uplifting, joyous and ultimately very satisfying,” says Kamukala. She retired from the bench in 2008, but continues to serve part-time as a “recall” judge.
Over the years, Kamukala continued to pursue her love for travel and adventure. She’s visited Portugal, Israel, Venezuela, and Morocco. In 2000, after being widowed, and in 2002, she accompanied a medical group to Tanzania, East Africa to establish a health clinic there. It was during the 2002 trip, at age 64, that she climbed 19,000 feet to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Later that same year, she traveled to Mongolia and China to participate in a Judge’s Exchange Program. “It was very educational,” she said. “We met with judges, visited their courts, exchanged ideas, and learned how they deal with cases through mock trials.”
On a subsequent trip back to Tanzania—where she went on a 650-mile hiking and camping expedition along the Nile—she met her present husband George Kamukala. They were married in 2003 and were just recently joined by his two youngest children, ages 7 and 13, here in the United States. “So I’m starting a new chapter as a mom again at age 71 and I am quite content with that,” she said. “I look forward to continuing this life adventure for at least the next 30 years. I can’t wait for the next adventure to come into sight. It was UMass Amherst that catapulted me into my life adventure and I expect it to continue.”
by Elena Lamontagne
6/30/2009