Campbell, Mildred

Mildred Campbell, 95, of Vinton, died Friday, Sept. 23, 2011, at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Vinton following an extended illness. Funeral services for Mildred will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Phillips Family Center, 605 Second Ave., Vinton, with Pastor Fred Darbonne of the Presbyterian Church in Vinton officiating. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Vinton. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the family center.

Mildred McDonald was born Dec. 25, 1915, to Thomas Leroy and Viola Matilda Twiss McDonald, at Altamont, Ill. She attended Bee Ridge Country School near Shelbyville, Ill., and Blue Mound Country School near Altamont, Ill., and graduated from Altamont Community High School in 1932. Mildred graduated from St. Luke's School of Nursing in St. Louis, Mo., in 1939, with an RN degree.

Mildred was united in marriage to Howard Elliott Campbell on June 7, 1941, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. R.N. Smith at University City, Mo. Mildred and Howard purchased Stuart Funeral Home in Olin, Iowa in June 1941. Together they operated the funeral home in Olin until June 1962, when they moved to Vinton. They purchased the former Taylor Funeral Home in Vinton in July 1962. They owned and operated Campbell Funeral Home in Vinton together until Howard's death on Sept. 8, 1977. Mildred continued to be a fixture at Campbell Funeral Home until retiring on Sept. 23, 1985.

Mildred is survived by her son, Charles “Dick” (Sheryl) Campbell of Evansdale; her daughter-in-law, Kathy (Tom) Kircher of Lenexa, Kan.; her grandchildren, Kimberly (Martin) Weiss of Vinton, Kelly (Lori) Campbell of Urbana and Chad Campbell of Dexter; her great-grandchildren, Jacob, Jessica and Elizabeth Weiss and Patrick, Shea and Brady “Howie” Campbell; her sisters, Emma Jane Nelson of Leavenworth, Kan., Rosemary Slater of Olin and Lou Ann (C.H.) Putts of New Lenox, IIll.; her brother, Joe (Joette) McDonald of Vermilion, Ohio; and her sisters-in-law, Carolyn Campbell of Davenport and MaryLou McDonald of Bullhead City, Ariz.

In addition to her parents and husband, Howard, Mildred was preceded in death by her son, Fred Elliott Campbell; her granddaughter, Kristina Ann Campbell; her brothers, Walter, Charles, William and Harry McDonald; her brothers-in-law, Carl Nelson and Vinton Campbell; and her sister-in-law, Mildred McDonald.

A memorial fund has been established.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at:

Published Sept. 25, 2011, in The Gazette