Donald Eugene Campbell passed away peacefully on October 15, 2019 after a short battle with lung cancer. Don stayed independent for as long as he could at the home he built together with his wife Ann, where he loved his view of Pikes Peak and the Fountain creek. While this was his fifth bout with cancer, Don was never one to complain.
He was born in 1933 in Larned, Kansas to Orie and Agnes Campbell. Due to his father’s illness, he was raised on the Eastern plains of Colorado in Arriba by his uncles: Charles “Fat” Shea, Erwin “Tim” Shea, and Lloyd Shea. He was proud to be an Arriba Ace and often shared stories of life on the ranch. He later moved to Denver with his mother and sister, Bonnie, where he graduated from Denver West High School. There he had many fond memories he enjoyed sharing.
He joined the Air Force in 1952 as he was drafted and didn’t want the government making the choice of service. He served as a radar operator during the Korean War. He was stationed with the 764th AC&W Squadron in St. Albans, Vermont as an Airman 2nd Class. He attended radar school in Biloxi Mississippi from 1952 to 1953. He married Viola Crisler, and their first son Donald Gene was born while they were stationed in Vermont.
Don and Viola returned to Colorado after he was honorably discharged from the Air Force, and they had two more children, Thomas Alen and Debra Joleen. Don served in the Air Force Reserves from 1957 until 1961 and held the rank of Technical Sergeant, which has historically been the second-most difficult rank to achieve. It normally takes 10–12 total years of service to attain this pay grade but Don did it in 8 years. After 18 years of marriage, he and Viola divorced.
Always a hard worker, Don had several early jobs, including rigger at General Iron Works in Littleton, mail carrier with the USPS and as a refrigeration inspector at the Cudahy meat packing plant. In 1960, he landed a career as a plant mechanic with Public Service Company, and worked at the Arapahoe, Cherokee, and Zuni power plants in Denver, along with Valmont in Boulder. He also served as Union Steward and Safety Chairman and completed a 4-year I.C.S. mechanical engineering course.
He married Ann Wilson in 1973 and when the Comanche power plant opened in Pueblo, Don transferred and was promoted to plant foreman. He and Ann had two sons, Joseph Alexander and Douglas Eugene. He enjoyed listening to Country Western music, especially Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, and Willie Nelson. He often played some of his favorites on guitar with Ann accompanying on the piano.
Don loved camping, hunting, and fishing with his family. He enjoyed time on the road in his RV and sitting lakeside at O’Haver Reservoir outside Salida. His adventures expanded when he discovered the joys of cruising, and he and Ann traveled the world by cruise ship. His favorite trip was to Hawaii and he made that journey as often as he could, taking cruises into his eighties. He also loved a good buffet.
His spiritual life took a turn at an important crossroad with an act of kindness when Don stopped to help Jim Maley with his stuck car, who turned out to be the pastor of Pueblo Christian Center. Upon helping him get his car unstuck, Pastor Jim Maley exclaimed “Praise the Lord!” and invited Don to church. It so happened Pastor Maley was his neighbor on Loch Lomond and became his friend and pastor and Don started regularly attending church. In 1986, Don and Ann found a new home church at a recently constructed Praise Assembly of God, where they had many years of fellowship.
He is survived by his wife of forty-six years, Ann Campbell; his five children: Donald (Tamara) Campbell, Thomas (Christine) Campbell, Debra Campbell, Joseph (Victoria) Campbell, and Douglas (Jessica) Campbell; his fifteen grandchildren and their families: Isaac, Hannah, Abigail, Phinehas, Jacoby, Jenasee, Thomas Jr., Jonathan, Brice, Joseph, Andre, Joselyn, John, Daniel, and Dinah; and many great-grandchildren.
His memorial service will be held at Imperial Funeral Home in Pueblo on Saturday, October 26 at 2:00pm.
