Obituary of Patrick James Campbell

Patrick James Campbell was born on February 11, 1936 in Brooklyn, NY to Alexander and Margaret (Brady) Campbell. He attended schools in Brooklyn, NY and Portland, OR. He graduated from Central Catholic High School. He was a member of the class of 1953. On September 8, 1953, Patrick joined the United States Army, a career that would last 30 years, in locations around the world. Over Labor Day weekend in 1954, he met Maxine Hamren at the St John's Theater. They were married on April 16, 1955, at Assumption Catholic Church in St. Johns. As they walked on the beach at Seaside, OR on their honeymoon, he turned to his new bride and said, "It's going to be a hell of a ride." Their first duty assignment as newlyweds was Ladd Air Force Base, Fairbanks, Alaska (before it was a state!) They lived in a log cabin and he often spoke of walking to Midnight Mass in below freezing weather. In 1956 they were reassigned to Fort Lewis, WA where they would remain until the fall of 1963, when Pat left for his first assignment in Viet Nam as an advisor. While at Fort Lewis they welcomed four of their children,the fifth child being born in Portland, OR. During this assignment at Fort Lewis, Pat also deployed to Germany during the Berlin Crisis. Upon his return from Viet Nam, the family returned to Fort Lewis. The next stop was Fort Devens, MA that found him training soldiers that he would return to Viet Nam with in 1966. It was during this tour that Pat was awarded his Silver Star for Gallantry while serving with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. He was a member of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. This was the last time that Pat would have to spend an extended period of time from his family. Additional assignments found Pat and "The Tribe" setting up and tearing down at Fort Ord, CA, Fort Kobbe, Panama Canal Zone, United States Military Academy West Point, NY, Fort Carson, CO . In the fall of 1977, while on REFORGER in West Germany he was offered the job as the Command Sergeant Major of the 3rd Support Command, Frankfurt, W. Germany. In the spring of 1979, Pat took the position of Command Sergeant Major of the 1st Armored Division, Katterbach, W. Germany. It was after this assignment that he would sometimes say, "One phone call and I can move 10,000 soldiers; but do you think I could ever get my wife and five kids out of the door on time for Mass?" In 1981 he was assigned, once more, to Fort Lewis, WA where he would retire on September 30, 1983. In addition to his Silver Star, Pat earned many awards during his career, including the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, the Army Commendation, Meritorious Service Medal (4 clusters). He was also selected as one of the "Outstanding Young Men of America" for 1970, by the nonprofit Outstanding Americans Foundation. After retiring from the Army, his family learned quickly that "you can take the man out of the Army, but you can't take the Army out of the Man." So he went to work with the insurance industry, his focus being on active duty and retired soldiers, wanting to make sure they were taken care of. Pat was a 30 year member of the Church of the Visitation Catholic Church in Tacoma. Over those many years he served in several roles, including Eucharistic Minister which was very dear to him. He took Communion to the homebound, those in Nursing homes. Pat was a man of deep and abiding faith in God. He knew in his heart and mind that no matter what may come his way, his faith in God would carry him through. It was this example of faith that he worked to instill in his children. It started with saying nightly prayers with his children each night in one of the bedrooms or gathered at the foot of his easy chair. Pat was also a man with a great love of the beach. Each year they were able, he and Maxine would return, as he would jokingly say, " to the place where it all started", Seaside, OR for their anniversary. Sometimes they would drive down to just get away. One summer in the early 90's, they had six of their seven grandchildren with them at Seaside. Each one of those children remember that time fondly. Baseball was another love that he passed on to his family, taking his children to their first Major League Baseball game at Fenway Park, Red Sox versus the Yankees. It was love at first pitch. Pat also enjoyed traveling, every two years, to the reunions of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade where he would meet with his former Company Commander and men he served with. The last reunion he attended was in the summer of 2013, just weeks after knee replacement surgery. Pat was a friend of Bill W.'s for 46 years. Pat is survived by "the love of my life" Maxine. April 16 would have marked 60 years of marriage for them. Also surviving are children Julie (Chris) Dowling, Myron (Donene) Campbell, James Campbell, Anne Marie (Danny) Money and Stephen (Hugh) Campbell. Grandchildren Zachary (Rebecca) West, Charity (Daniel) Thomas, Patrick Money, Melody (Chris) Crase, Lynsey Campbell, Corey Campbell and George Dowling. Great grandchildren, Samantha, Tyler, Zachary, Connor, Caleb, Kathryn, Blake, Brody, Jocelyn, Madelyn and Jase. Also surviving are Pat's four sisters, Margaret Pemberton, Janet Bukovi, Mary Brooks, Anne Campbell VanDyke and brother Thomas (Carrie) Campbell, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, step father John Slowik, brother Charles Campbell and niece Anne Marie Bukovi-Dupont. Our Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Brother, Uncle and Friend was true to his Olive Drab roots on his last day. As Pat prepared to go under anesthesia, his daughter Anne Marie told him to "think of balloons and fairies", to which her Dad replied, "I am a Soldier! I dream of tanks and jeeps!" Patrick Campbell had great love for his wife, his entire family, and his country, always being guided by his Lord.