Sandra Kaye Campbell

Sandra was born on February 4, 1948 in Pampa, Texas to Billy H. and Vanda Y. Shew. She lived most of her early life in Midland, Texas, where she graduated from Midland Lee High School, completing all of the coursework required for her diploma in only 3.5 years.

She began her college career at McMurray College in Abilene, Texas in 1965. She married George “Buddy” Campbell on July 9, 1966. Following their wedding, the couple moved to Denton, Texas, where Sandra continued her college coursework at the University of North Texas, while working full-time as a switchboard operator at the Morrison Milling Company.

In 1968, George and Sandra moved to Lubbock, Texas, where they enrolled at Texas Technological College (later Texas Tech University). Their daughter, Sheri, was born in Lubbock on August 6, 1969, sharing her birthday with her dad.

In 1970, the couple moved again, this time to Pampa, Texas. Sandra continued her studies at Texas Tech, driving from Pampa to Lubbock daily with their young daughter in tow. Sandra completed her coursework and graduated with her bachelor’s degree and a major in sociology in May of 1970. She never got to cross the stage for graduation; however, because a devastating tornado hit Lubbock, causing numerous fatalities and cancelling all graduation activities for Sandra’s class.

Sandra and George welcomed their son, Scott, on November 29, 1971, and the couple moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex soon after. In the ensuing years, while raising their two children, Sandra embarked on a unique employment journey. She worked as a delivery driver for United Parcel Service, working a route through Oak Cliff. She found success selling cars at Toyota of Dallas at a time when it was very unusual for women to be in that role. But Sandra had a knack, and she was even once named “SalesMAN of the Month” for that dealership.

In the mid-1970s, Sandra found her true calling as a teacher. Over the course of the next 25 years, she gave her heart and soul as a public school teacher, serving school districts in Lewisville, Aledo, Weatherford, and Arlington. She taught history, psychology, and government. She helped Arlington ISD develop and launch its initial advanced placement history curriculum, teaching the first such classes at Arlington High School. She sponsored student organizations like the Earth Club and multiple student political groups. She coached Arlington High School’s Academic Decathlon team, and she led tutorial and preparation programs for students taking advanced placement tests. Throughout her career, Sandra also supported public education through her support of teachers, serving in numerous capacities with the Texas State Teachers Association. She advocated for teachers across the state and lobbied the Texas Legislature, fighting for increased pay and protection of the Teacher Retirement System.

Sandra’s passion for education really began when she became the first person in her family to attend and graduate college. She believed strongly in the value of education, both for individuals and society at large. So, she did everything she could to encourage her own children and her students to pursue their collegiate dreams. She helped kids find and earn scholarships, wrote enough letters of recommendation to circle the globe, and never failed to make her students feel like college was never out of reach for anyone who was willing to work for it. And her efforts paid off, not just for her students, but for her own family. Not only did Sandra AND George both return to school and complete their masters’ degrees, but she completed significant work toward her doctorate before her health prevented her from finishing. Their children both graduated from college and then completed post-graduate degrees, and now the educational legacy continues with their grandchildren. Their grandson, Nick, graduated from the University of North Texas last year with a degree in political science and is now working toward a second undergraduate degree in ecology for environmental science with a minor in geology. Their granddaughter, Lauren, is now in her senior year at UNT as well, majoring in photojournalism and minoring in English.

When Sandra had to leave the classroom in 1997 due to health issues, she didn’t let that end her involvement in education. She had already worked with Arlington ISD and the University of Texas at Arlington to develop a dual-credit program to enable students to earn college credit while in high school. Thus, it was a natural fit for her to be asked to join the Honors College at UTA as an assistant dean. This gave her an entirely new platform for helping students achieve their collegiate dreams and potential, and she relished every moment of it.

Probably the ONLY thing that could have lured Sandra out of academia was the one thing that did: grandchildren. Sandra and George’s son, Scott, and his wife, Amber, are the parents of two children, who are the lights of the Campbell family. Nick was born in 2001, and Lauren was born in 2003. Sandra retired from UTA when they were young children so she could be of support to them and their parents and get in all the grandchild time she could. She and George were actively involved in all of the grandkids’ educational and extracurricular activities throughout their elementary and secondary school years. They genuinely consider their grandchildren to be the ultimate reward for their hard work and commitment to family since they first married 59 years ago.

For the last 25 years, one of Sandra’s favorite means of giving back to her community and supporting Arlington’s student population has been her active involvement in the Texas Rangers Richard Greene Scholars Program. This program ensures that one student from each of Arlington ISD’s high schools receives a $10,000 scholarship to help with the costs of college. Throughout the life of the program, Sandra served on the committee that interviewed the student candidates and selected the scholarship winners each year. The “interview season” for this program was one of Sandra’s favorite times of the year, because it gave her an opportunity to continue interacting with and influencing the very best and brightest students in the Arlington community. She loved to regale her family with stories about the amazing students she met through this program. She was so honored to be a part of it, and she always said it’s one of the things that gave her the greatest hope for our nation’s future.

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Vanda Shew, and by her younger brother Billy Shew. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, George, and the family of which they are so proud:

• Daughter Sheri Campbell-Husband and her husband, Clayton Husband, of Fort Worth,

• Son Scott Campbell and his wife, Amber Campbell, of Grapevine, and

• Grandchildren Nicholas Campbell and Lauren Campbell.

Due to her own health experiences and her passion for supporting education in the community, there are three organizations that are of particular interest to Sandra and her family. For anyone considering ways to honor Sandra’s life, in addition to or in lieu of flowers, the family asks they consider donations to any of the following:

• American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/en/)

• Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org/)

• Texas Rangers Foundation Richard Greene Scholarship Program (https://www.mlb.com/rangers/community/foundation/donations)

Sandra Campbell’s commitment to her profession, her community, and her family are much more numerous than can be listed here, but they can all be summarized in the one word that best describes her: LOVE.

The staff at Moore Funeral Home encourages family and friends to express their fond memories, expressions of sympathy and additional condolences to the family of Sandra Kaye Campbell, by visiting www.moore-funeralhome.com.

In addition, if you or someone you know wish to send a floral condolence to the Campbell family in honor of the late Sandra Kaye Campbell, you may choose to do so by calling In Bloom Flowers and Gifts at (972)-256-6637.