Ronald Patrick “Ron” Campbell
February 13th, 1943 - December 7th, 2023
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Ron's Obituary
Ronald Patrick Campbell, 80, died December 7, 2023, at home in Benton Harbor in the loving care of his family after a short, but devastating illness.
He was born in Detroit on February 13, 1943, to John Angus (Jack) and Helen O’Neil Campbell, and was, according to his Aunt Alice, “the most beautiful baby ever born in Providence Hospital.”
After graduating from St. Cecelia’s High School in Detroit, Ron joined the Navy, serving for over 10 years in Japan, Puerto Rico, and Vietnam. After leaving the Navy, he worked for RCA in Chicago as a sound technician for movie theaters where he met his wife Penelope. She was managing the Skokie Theater, which fortunately had a lot of technical issues requiring the attention of the RCA man. After moving to Benton Harbor in 1978, Ron worked as an electronics technician for LECO Corporation until his retirement in 2014.
A quiet man with a sharp sense of humor, the words he did part with were almost always worth hearing. An autodidact, he read extensively, from “Stillwell and the American Experience in China 1911-1945” to Stephen King. In his quiet, unassuming way, he could explain the intricacies of the Spanish Civil War and was a prized team member for any round of Trivial Pursuit. Always busy with a project, Ron could usually be found outside. He hunted grouse and woodcock with a series of well-trained, well-loved dogs. In their retirement Ron and Pen loved the time they spent together tent camping and fishing. Always the first to offer to hold a baby, Ron was a great Poppa with endless patience for projects with the grandkids.
Ron is survived by his wife Penelope (Pen) Sharp Campbell; children Madeline Campbell, John Angus Campbell (Amy Campbell), and Kathleen Campbell (AJ Gilleo); grandchildren Olive, Fiona, Cora, and Finnegan; his brother William Campbell (Donna Campbell) of Detroit; nephews Peter and Daniel, niece Flannery and their families; many well-loved Campbell and O’Neil cousins; neighborhood friends and his “cottage family.”
His family will commemorate his life with a great whopping party (which he would whine about attending) in the summer at a park near the water. In lieu of flowers, to honor his memory, maybe take a walk in the woods, or raise a glass, or eat something scary and exotic, or help out a good cause of your choice. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.heritage-chapel.com.
Ron was a man who fixed things. He could fix anything but this.
He was born in Detroit on February 13, 1943, to John Angus (Jack) and Helen O’Neil Campbell, and was, according to his Aunt Alice, “the most beautiful baby ever born in Providence Hospital.”
After graduating from St. Cecelia’s High School in Detroit, Ron joined the Navy, serving for over 10 years in Japan, Puerto Rico, and Vietnam. After leaving the Navy, he worked for RCA in Chicago as a sound technician for movie theaters where he met his wife Penelope. She was managing the Skokie Theater, which fortunately had a lot of technical issues requiring the attention of the RCA man. After moving to Benton Harbor in 1978, Ron worked as an electronics technician for LECO Corporation until his retirement in 2014.
A quiet man with a sharp sense of humor, the words he did part with were almost always worth hearing. An autodidact, he read extensively, from “Stillwell and the American Experience in China 1911-1945” to Stephen King. In his quiet, unassuming way, he could explain the intricacies of the Spanish Civil War and was a prized team member for any round of Trivial Pursuit. Always busy with a project, Ron could usually be found outside. He hunted grouse and woodcock with a series of well-trained, well-loved dogs. In their retirement Ron and Pen loved the time they spent together tent camping and fishing. Always the first to offer to hold a baby, Ron was a great Poppa with endless patience for projects with the grandkids.
Ron is survived by his wife Penelope (Pen) Sharp Campbell; children Madeline Campbell, John Angus Campbell (Amy Campbell), and Kathleen Campbell (AJ Gilleo); grandchildren Olive, Fiona, Cora, and Finnegan; his brother William Campbell (Donna Campbell) of Detroit; nephews Peter and Daniel, niece Flannery and their families; many well-loved Campbell and O’Neil cousins; neighborhood friends and his “cottage family.”
His family will commemorate his life with a great whopping party (which he would whine about attending) in the summer at a park near the water. In lieu of flowers, to honor his memory, maybe take a walk in the woods, or raise a glass, or eat something scary and exotic, or help out a good cause of your choice. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.heritage-chapel.com.
Ron was a man who fixed things. He could fix anything but this.
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