Douglas John Campbell

Douglas J. Campbell, retired engineering executive with the J.M. Huber Corporation, passed away on April 28, a week shy of his 97th birthday, in Orange County, California.  Born in New York City, he grew up on Staten Island where he attended Curtis High School.  After graduating at age 16, he attended McGill University in Montreal, Canada.  When WWII broke out he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and served as a Flying Officer with the Coastal Command Wing in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.  While on leave in Victoria, British Columbia, he met his future wife, Helen Daggett, whom he married in 1945.  After the war they returned to McGill where he graduated as a Chemical Engineer and member of Psi Epsilon Alpha, the Engineering honor society of Canada.

Doug’s first job was with J.M. Huber in New Jersey and he stayed with them through his 37-year career, retiring as Vice President of Operations of the Printing Ink Division.  He was active in the industry and was elected a Printing Ink Pioneer by the National Association in 1978.  He also served as President of the New York Metropolitan Printing Ink Association and as President of the Edison Chamber of Commerce for several years.

He was a resident of Westfield, NJ, for 44 years and served as President of the Board of Education during the 70’s when racial balance, unionization of teachers and sex education were all contentious issues.  He also served as Trustee of the Westfield United Fund and on the Mayor’s Committee for Community Relations.

He and Helen were members of Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield where they had an active social life.  Other clubs of which they were members were the St. Andrew’s Society of New York, the Salmon Arm (B.C.) Golf Club, Dana West Yacht Club and El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Niguel, California.  They also travelled extensively, visiting Europe, Russia and South America.

After he retired they built a summer home in Helen’s hometown of Salmon Arm, B.C.  They would drive across country every summer with their little dog and spend several months enjoying the beautiful views, fresh air and friendly people.

In 1999 they moved their full-time residence from Westfield to Dana Point, California, to be close to their daughter Ellen, son-in-law Bruce and grandson Cameron.  Helen predeceased Doug in December, they had been married for 74 years.