Edwin Campbell

When reflecting on the life of Edwin Campbell, we remember his strength, his dedicated work ethic, and his unending compassion for others. He was the sort of man who would do anything for anyone, and he taught us that in doing so we are richly blessed. Ed was blessed to spend 52 years with his princess by his side with whom he watched his family tree grow to include the children and grandchildren who were his greatest source of pride and joy. He was a man of conviction whose word was as good as gold. The legacy Ed leaves behind will be proudly carried on by those who follow him.

The dark days of the 1930s were some of the most trying days our nation has ever seen due to the unrelenting grip of the Great Depression. With an unemployment rate that soared to over 25 percent, countless Americans were without work. Cities, communities, and families came together as best they could to weather the storm of hardship that gripped so many families within our great land. Despite the trials around them, a young couple from Kalamazoo, Michigan, was able to shift their focus to a joyous time in their own lives with the birth of their baby boy on December 1, 1931. Edwin J. was the oldest of three boys born to his parents, Edwin J. Sr. and Doris (Grace) Campbell, and he was raised in the family home on the north side of Kalamazoo alongside his younger siblings, Bob, Bill, and Sharon.

The Campbell family certainly felt the effects of the Great Depression as money was tight, to say the least. Ed’s father was a teamster truck driver while his mother was a homemaker. Like so many other young people of this generation, Ed enjoyed playing around the Kalamazoo River with other neighborhood kids. He was a student at local schools, including Kalamazoo Central.

With a desire to serve his country, Ed lied about his age and joined the reserves when he was just 15 years old. He later joined the Navy, serving during the Korean Conflict.

New and exciting changes were in store for Ed when he met the young girl who stole his heart in 1960. Her name was Linda Zindt, and she was working at Western Michigan University at the time. Ed was 10 years her senior, but it was love at first sight. With a desire to build a life together Ed and Linda were married on October 14, 1960, in Kalamazoo. He worked at Kalamazoo Valley Paper for a time, and he later worked in sales for Cadillac Overall Supply and Action Garment Rental. This was a great fit for Ed as not only was he dedicated to his work, but he was a true salesman who could sell anything to anyone. As someone who was deeply devoted to his community, Ed also spent a couple of years working as a firefighter for the City of Kalamazoo. In everything he did he was honest, dependable, and worked hard, and he was determined to provide his family with the life he never had growing up.

Together Ed and Linda were blessed with two sons, Edwin IV and John. As a father he was firm, but fair, and he always expected the truth out of his boys. Ed was an active part of his sons‘ lives, and he supported them in their sports and school endeavors. He stressed the importance of family to his kids and was always there for whatever they needed. The Campbells looked forward to summer vacations up North to get away from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives. Some of their favorite moments as a family were spent during these times.

Although nothing was of greater importance to Ed than his family, his life was enriched in many other ways as well. During his younger years he was quite the outdoorsman who was into hunting and fishing, and later in life he focused on his love of history and antiques, most notably antique clocks. Ed was a walking encyclopedia when it came to history, both of our nation and of the world, and perhaps it was the story of times gone by that accompanies antiques that ignited his passion in them. With particular interest in the Civil War, Ed loved going up to Mackinac Island. He always liked nice cars and believed in buying American, and he was also proud to be a Mason and a member of the NRA. A real man’s man, it comes as no surprise that Ed was a meat and potatoes sort of person, but he also had a weakness for chocolate milk and donuts as chocolate was something that his family couldn’t afford during his childhood years.

Later in life Ed was overjoyed to welcome grandchildren into his heart. He always viewed the day his first grandchild was born to be the greatest day of his life, and he made whatever time they had to spend together so special. There was never a birthday that came that Ed’s grandchildren didn’t get a special happy birthday wish from their grandpa.

The lessons Ed leaves behind are numerous, and they were lessons he exemplified by the way he lived his life. He had a huge heart and readily gave to those in need without having a second thought. Ed conveyed the value of a true friend, how to face challenges with perseverance, and the importance in being honest above all else.

A lifelong resident of the community he loved, Edwin Campbell leaves behind a deeply embedded footprint on the hearts of so many. He lived a life of sound principle with beliefs like a handshake is as good as a contract, and you always get what you pay for. Ed’s devotion to his family was unmatched as his love for his wife, children, and grandchildren is a true inspiration to us all. He leaves behind a brilliantly colored mosaic of memories that will be lasting treasures in the hearts and lives of those he leaves behind.

Edwin J. Campbell, Jr. died on Saturday, December 15, 2012. Ed’s family includes his wife, Linda (Zindt) Campbell; twin sons, Edwin IV of Kalkaska, MI (wife Amy, children Edwin V, Travis, Rebekah, and Bethany) and John Campbell of Grand Junction (wife Nikki, twin sons Thomas and Tyler, son, Charlie and stepsons Aaron, Paul, and Matt Gruber); sister, Sharon Westafer of Kalamazoo; and sisters-in-law, Sharon and Sally Campbell and Faythe Cerutti; and several nieces and nephews. Ed was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Chester W. (Bill) and Robert Campbell. Learn more about Ed, view his Life Story film, and visit with his family and friends from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (375-2900). Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the Oakwood Bible Church, 4100 Oakland Drive. Burial will be in South Portage Cemetery. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a favorite memory or photo.