Committal Service with Military Honors
Friday, July 11, 2014 at 11:00am Graveside (Section 38 Lot 9A Grave 3)
John Larson Campbell, 90 passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 and his beloved wife, Ruth Essex Campbell, 90, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 13, 2014.
John was born on his family’s farm near Concordia, Kansas on November 19, 1922 to Gaylord and Fern Campbell. He was the oldest of six children and graduated from Concordia High School in 1941, attended Kansas State College (now Kansas State University) and then enlisted in the Army at Ft.. Riley, Kansas. After serving two years at Ft. Riley as a horse cavalryman he deployed to Europe as an infantryman to join the Second World War where he earned the Bronze Star for infantry combat duty. After his discharge from the Army in 1946 he moved to Rhode Island where he fell in love with Ruth Essex.
Ruth was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island on August 29, 1923 to William Reynolds and Jessie (Grant) Essex, their youngest of three children. She graduated from North Kingstown High School in 1941.
John and Ruth married at Quidnessett Baptist Church in North Kingstown, Rhode Island on June 27, 1948 and lived to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on June 27, 2013 in Greenville, South Carolina.
Most of their married life was spent in Cheshire, Connecticut where John worked for The Bellows Company as a field engineer and district manager for sales. Ruth was a stay-at-home mom until her daughters were teenagers then she worked as an administrative assistant at nearby Quinnipiac College and as an assistant to a local dentist. She also sang in various choirs over the years and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
John was passionate about witnessing for Jesus Christ. He was an elder in a local church, served as a Gideon for over 60 years, actively participated in the National Prayer Breakfast Movement, and helped with Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship by visiting inmates to share the Gospel. John also co-founded the Cheshire Teens youth group in the 1960’s which impacted many young lives for Christ. He served as an elected and appointed Republican political leader in Cheshire for many years as well.
John and Ruth are survived by their two daughters, Janet Maginnis and husband Robert of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Joyce Andrews and husband David of Greenville, South Carolina; 4 grandchildren: Meghan Moore and husband Chris of Woodbridge, Virginia; Sarah Sheehan and husband Jim of San Diego, California; Grant Maginnis and wife Allison of Charlotte, North Carolina; and Paul Andrews of Birmingham, Alabama. John and Ruth were blessed to have met their one great-grandchild, Campbell Moore, who was born in September 2012.
John is survived by one brother, Robert Campbell and wife Linda of Salina, Kansas; two sisters, Marilyn Goodwin of Concordia, Kansas and Norma Price of Clyde, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gaylord and Fern Campbell; brothers, Gaylord Jr. Campbell and Franklin Campbell. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, William and Jessie Essex, and brothers Grant Essex and Stewart Essex.
An internment will take place on Friday, July 11, 2014 at 11:00AM in the Quidnessett Memorial Cemetery. Pastor Stanley Allaby, Ruth’s cousin, will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made to the Gideons International.
