Kenneth Campbell

Kenneth M. (Ken) Campbell passed away on Friday, March 10th, following a brief but determined battle with brain cancer. He was born on March 11th, 1937, in Wausau, Wisconsin. He was the eldest child of Raymond and Elfrieda Campbell. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1959 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He spent many years working in packaging and machinery sales for American Can, FMC, Frain and Minnesota Automation. He also worked as the business manager for Lord of Life Lutheran Church before his retirement.

Ken married Christina Sophia Simone on June 15th, 1959. They had five sons: Kevin (fiance Pam Barber), Andrew (fiance Barbara Shevlin), Jeff (Rene), Jim (Liza) and Nate. Ken later married Patricia Hutchinson. Following Patricia’s death, he married Phyllis Wilson. They were married for 26 years until his death.

Ken was a man of high morals and civic commitment who was a terrific role model for his sons. He never missed any of his sons’ hundreds of games–baseball, football, or basketball, in any type of weather, at any hour of the day–unless he was away on business.  He umpired countless Little League baseball games, although his sons always felt that the strike zone was bigger when they were batting because he didn’t want to be accused of favoring them. He taught Sunday School and adult classes at the myriad churches he belonged to over the years. He served as school board president for the elementary school his sons attended. 

Ken was an avid sports fan who lived the Vince Lombardi quote, “There are three things important to every man in this locker room. His God, his family, and the Green Bay Packers. In that order.” He was on hand to witness the famous Ice Bowl game. He even lived long enough to see his beloved Chicago Cubs finally win a World Series. He also enjoyed attending live theatre and classical music events, was an enthusiastic reader of the works of C.S. Lewis and other Christian authors, cooked gourmet meals he referred to as “no brainers”, and faithfully listened to “A Prairie Home Companion” every Saturday evening. 

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, a brother (David) and his first two wives. He is survived by his wife Phyllis, his sons and their partners listed above, his brothers Jon (Jacky) and Jim (Vodus), his sisters Lois (Bill Kujawa) and Priscilla (Ken Barker), his step-children Milissa (Fred Zack), Angela, Jeff and Jennifer, and his grandchildren Jessie, Ashley (fiance David Leinweber), Joshua, Jennifer, James, Christopher, Seth, Blue, Cali, Caroline, Cameron, Max, Leo, Ben and Hazel Jane.

Funeral services will be held at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter on Saturday, March 18th, at 1 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brainerd Baxter Animal Shelter or the American Cancer Society. 

The Campbell Family wish to thank the staff of The Good Samaritan Society-Bethany (Brainerd) and The Good Samaritan Society-Hospice for their loving and compassionate care of Ken in his final days, Essentia Health-Duluth 5th Floor Oncology for caring for Ken during his initial diagnosis, and for the Brenny Funeral Home for all their expertise in escorting Ken on his final journey. 

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Baxter.