Charles Campbell 1937-2018

Charlie Campbell

Charles Christian Campbell, 81, of Jefferson City, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 19, 2018, at The Bluffs in Columbia. A private, graveside service will be held for the family on Saturday, July 28 in Benton County, Missouri.

“Charlie” was born on February 7, 1937 in Jefferson City, Mo. He grew up on a farm just outside of Fristoe, Mo., in Benton County. He graduated from Warsaw High School in 1955. He earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. (all in education) from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Charlie began his career as a science teacher in 1960 at Hickman High School in Columbia. He later served as the Assistant to the Superintendent of Columbia Public Schools before being asked to become the Dean of Administration at Truman University in 1970. In 1974 he accepted a position in the University of Missouri’s Extension Division as the Director of 4-H programs for the state of Missouri. He was later an Assistant Dean and then an Associate Vice Provost for the University. In 1981 he served nine months in the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an executive on loan from the University of Missouri. In 1986 he went into the private sector and opened his own consulting company, serving primarily law enforcement agencies throughout Missouri. He served as Deputy Secretary of State for Missouri in 1993-1994 and co-founded the Campbell Insurance Agency in Ashland, Missouri in 1995. He served as Mayor of Ashland from 1999-2002.

His interests included reading, antiques, writing about Missouri mules, and public speaking. While in Kirksville he was named “Outstanding Citizen” and in Columbia he enjoyed being a board member of the United Way and belonging to Kiwanis and Optimists clubs.

In retirement years, Charlie enjoyed working as an adjunct instructor at Lincoln University and a substitute teacher at Blair Oaks High School, in Jefferson City. He also achieved the status of ‘colonel’ in the auctioneering field – a life-long dream. He also enjoyed writing a weekly column in the Boone County Journal titled “Leftovers” about his recollections and interpretations of characters and Missouri farm life in the 1940s and 1950s.

Charlie was preceded in death by his two parents, James Mearl Campbell and Laura Ames Campbell, of Warsaw, Mo., as well as two infant siblings. He is survived by the mother of his children, Penny Campbell of Columbia, and by his brothers James “Jim” (Joan) Campbell of Harrisonburg, Va., Robert “Bob” (Patricia) Campbell of Reno, Nev. He is also survived by a cousin, John (Phyllis) Hooker of Hollister, Mo., and all four of his children, Chris (Kellie) Campbell of Columbia, Craig Campbell of Dallas, Texas, Kevin (Tammi) Campbell of Random Lake, Wis., and Carrie (Matt) McAtee of Lee’s Summit, Mo. He leaves behind seven grandchildren, including step-grandchildren (Makenzie, Grant, Peyton, Kayla, Matt, Jennie and Kaite), and two step-great, grandchildren (August and Griffin).

Pastor Steve Wood of Risen Hope Community Church in Random Lake, Wis., will officiate the graveside service. In his later years, Charlie enjoyed the messages of Pastor Wood while visiting family in Wisconsin.

The family suggests memorial contributions in Charlie’s name to either The Missouri 4-H Foundation at 109 Whitten Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211; The Risen Hope Community Church in Random Lake Wisconsin at P.O Box 282, Random Lake, WI 53075, or the Columbia Public Schools Foundation at P.O. Box 1234, Columbia, MO 65201.

Condolences may be made online at parkermillard.com.