Obituary
It is with great sadness that the love of our lives, Donald Allen Campbell, 93, passed away on March 16, 2016 of bone cancer at his home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He was an amazing husband, father, educator, animal lover and musician. Born on June 24, 1922 Don’s will to live was inspirational and his spirit will continue in our hearts forever. Don was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on June 24, 1922 to Mary Elizabeth Chamberlin and Charles Alexander Campbell. The quote below his Classical High School photo read “A sound mind in a sound body”. Little did he know that would be the mantra for his entire life.
Don was a graduate of Dartmouth College (class of ’44), received his Master’s Degree in English and American Literature from Harvard in 1948 and his PhD from Yale in American Studies in 1960. He was a veteran of World War II, honorably discharged in 1945 after serving in both China and India. He spent most of his life teaching history and education as a Professor at Dartmouth College, Middlebury College, Bloomfield College and as Dean of Education at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. Don’s passion was to help improve inner city education and he was most proud of his involvement with Head Start in the 1970s. In his later years Don’s love of animals and music were the focus of his time. He built and managed a small horse farm in Croton-On-Hudson, NY and later in Upper Black Eddy, Pa. An accomplished jazz musician, he was a member of the Del Valley College Jazz Band when residing in Pennsylvania. Over the last few years he was an active member of the Daytona College Symphony Band and the Daytona Beach Concert Band playing both his saxophone and clarinet for over 80 years.
It was Don’s last wish that he continue educating. His body was donated to the Willed-Body Program at University of Central Florida College of Medicine which helps students and others learn to become future healers.
Don leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Patricia Campbell of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, five wonderful children – Sarah Cucinelli of Brunswick, Maine, Elsa Campbell of East Boston, Massachusetts, Molly Maclean of Bangor, Maine, Dean Campbell of San Rafael, California, and Kaitlin Campbell of Lexington, Kentucky, one deceased daughter Tammy Brodsky, four grandchildren – Aaron Brodsky, Merin Brodsky Noonan, Christopher and Chloe Campbell and three great grandchildren.
There will be no public service but we will be creating a virtual memorial service at www.exclusivelymemories.com in the coming weeks.
Donations in his honor can be made to Kindred Foundation an organization which extends financial assistance to home health and hospice patients and their families.
Kindred Foundation
680 South Fourth Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
502.596.7300
http://www.kindredathome.com/about-us/donations/
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