Donald Ray Campbell

A devoted husband and family man, Donald Ray Campbell, 90, passed away peacefully July 21, 2013, with his wife and his 4 children by his side at Riverland Medical Center in Ferriday, LA. Mr. Campbell was born January 21, 1923 in Cedar Lake, MS, the son of Andrew Bonner and Verta Lee Mallette Campbell. He graduated from Vancleave High School, where he met his future wife. After graduating from high school, he attended Perkinston Jr. College from September, 1942 to June, 1943. While attending Perkinston Jr. College, Donald Campbell enlisted in the United States Navy on December 8, 1942. He attended the Navy V-12 Unit at Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette, LA from July, 1943 - June, 1944. From July to December, 1944, he was assigned to the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School, Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, being commissioned Ensign on November 1, 1944. Upon completion, he attended WAIPIO Communication School at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was assigned to LST-809 in January, 1945, and stayed with this ship the remainder of the time that he was in the navy. During World War II, LST-809 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the assault and occupation of Iwo Jima in February 1945 and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto from April through June 1945 Shortly after returning from the war, Donald married his high school sweetheart, Kathryn Olena Davis on August 11, 1946. They moved to Lafayette, LA, so that he could complete his education at Southwestern Louisiana Institute, (now University of Louisiana, Lafayette) where he had been in the V-12 Unit. He graduated from SLI in May, 1949 in Vocational Agriculture Education. In later years he went on to complete his Master’s Degree and +30 from Louisiana State University. After graduation, he was hired to teach GI Farm Training in Concordia Parish and he remained there from 1949-1953. Then they moved back to Vancleave, MS, their hometown where he operated his own dairy at Humphrey Farms. In 1956, they moved to Monterey for Mr. Campbell to teach Vocational Agriculture at Monterey High School. He also taught Biology for many years and taught P.E. classes in the early years. He taught there until his retirement in 1980. Mr. Campbell was a member of Monterey Baptist Church since 1956. During his years at the church, Donald served as the Adult Sunday School teacher sometimes was the Sunday School Superintendent. He became a deacon on September 9, 1979. At the age of 86, he still took pride in placing American flags on the veterans’ graves in the church cemetery. In grateful recognition for his many years of faithful service to our Lord as deacon, Sunday School teacher, and Disciple of Jesus Christ, Monterey First Baptist Church conferred upon Donald Campbell, the Honorary title of Deacon Emeritus on November 13, 2012. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Louisiana Retired Teacher’s Association and was a charter member of the National World War II Museum. Mr. Campbell enjoyed gardening, fishing, and staying active in the church. He was well-known in the community as the gardening authority and after his retirement from teaching he truck farmed his tomatoes Mr. Campbell coached the Concordia Drug Giants baseball team (10-12 year old boys). The Monterey team was revered when they went to the Ferriday Little Boys League ball park to play their games. They won the league championship for 5 of the 6 years that he coached. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Kathryn Davis Campbell, their 4 children and their spouses—Bobby and Estelle Campbell-The Woodlands, TX, Elaine and Darrell Johnson-Gonzales, LA, Suzanne and Jimmy Wade-Wildsville, LA and Mary Lee and Robert Ferguson-Duson, LA, 8 grandchildren—Scott, Kristi and David Johnson, Aaron and Sabra Wade and John, Katie and Nicholas Ferguson, 10 great-grandchildren—Dari, D.J., and Remi Johnson, Cody Martinez, Hannah, Alex, Cameron and Madison Ferguson, Woodrow Wade and Hadlee Jo Hall, one sister-Jeane Brown of Ocean Springs, MS and many nieces and nephews. Services will be held at Monterey First Baptist Church at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, July 23, 2013. Burial will be follow at Monterey Baptist Church Cemetery with full military honors. The family will receive friends from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. at the Monterey First Baptist Family Life Center on Monday, July 22, 2013. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home in Ferriday. Pallbearers will be the grandsons and honorary grandson, Skip Shows from Baton Rouge, LA. Honorary pallbearers will be deacons of Monterey First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Monterey First Baptist Church Cemetery Beautification Fund.

Donald Ray Campbell

January 21, 1923 - July 21, 2013