Melvin Ross Campbell, 84, passed away October 31, 2021 at his home in Yuma, Colorado with his wife and family by his side. Melvin was born to Cecil L. and Mary Elizabeth (Sherrill) Campbell in Denver, Colorado on December 3, 1936.
At a very young age the family moved to the vicinity of Eckley, Colorado. He attended various county schools and at the age of 9 years they moved to Washington County, Colorado where he attended school at the High Prairie School south of Otis, participating in baseball and basketball and other school activities, graduating with the class of 1955.
On June 5, 1955 he was married to Phyllis Marie Perry and to this union 2 children were born, Gaylen Rex in 1957 and Rhonda Sue in 1960. The young couple started their married life working on the farm with Melvin’s father but God had a different plan for them when Cecil passed away unexpectedly in 1957 at the age of 57. After a farm sale, Melvin and Phyllis moved to Yuma, Colorado where he worked for the Stickney’s store. In 1961 the Anton Co-op hired him as their manager so they moved to Anton, Colorado for the next 5 1/2 years. During his time at the Co-op he was affectionately known as “Hoss” because of his uncanny resemblance to the Bonanza character. In 1966 he had the opportunity to purchase the Conoco gas station (located at the present day Threshers location), and the Conoco bulk delivery business so they moved back to Yuma. Due to health reasons, the Conoco business was sold to his brother in law, Orville Nelson. After recovering from a brain tumor, Don Starnes offered him a job running the Farmers State Insurance Agency at the Farmers State Bank. Along with all of his other business endeavors he and Phyllis built a very successful Amway business which continues to provide for them. Amway provided them the opportunity to touch hundreds of lives and to travel all over the United States. In 1978 he started his own life and health insurance agency, which continues to serve the community to this day. Honesty, integrity, and always keeping the client’s best interest above all else were the foundations of his businesses. He served his clients with dignity and respect and a good dose of humor. Many clients answered their phone to hear the words “Hello, this is President Ronald Reagan.” The people he dealt with were not only business associates, but friends.
Melvin accepted Christ as his personal Savior and was always an active member of the Yuma Church of the Nazarene, serving on the church board, as the worship song leader, and on numerous committees. He and Phyllis served as the chairpersons for the Stewardship Committee for the present church building and Melvin also served on the Building Committee. He and Phyllis sang for countless funerals and he used to joke that they were perfect for funerals because their music was so mournful. It was actually very good. In the early 1990’s he organized local events for the men of the community for Promise Keepers, an evangelical men’s organization founded by former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney.
Melvin was also active in the Yuma Rotary club serving as President and holding other positions.
Family was everything to Melvin. He loved spending time with his children and their families. He rarely missed a school or social event his children or grandchildren were involved in. He supported every endeavor to the fullest and showed them how to live, work, laugh, and love. In earlier years when health allowed, he loved to have backyard BBQ’s, fishing, vacations and family reunions in the Colorado mountains and the Black Hills.
Melvin was a very generous and giving person, and he and Phyllis looked for every opportunity to assist anyone in need. Their work and “family fundraising” benefited many elderly, young families, or many less fortunate. They not only gave of their resources but of their time as well.
In the last years of his life Melvin endured a very debilitating form of Parkinsonism which he handled with courage and grace. With the help of his 24 hour caregiver, his wife Phyllis, and help from the family, he was able to remain at home except for a couple of very short stays at Yuma Life Care. After his passing the family commented on the great care she had provided him and Phyllis’ response was, “it wasn’t hard, I was just fulfilling the promise I made to him.” That promise was made almost 66 1/2 years ago. And boy, did she.
Melvin has passed an amazing legacy to his family and those who knew him. The way he lived his life would suggest that his desire for all of us would be to love the Lord, show love, respect, and compassion to those around us, and to leave the world a better place when you leave. He certainly did.
Melvin was preceded in death by his parents Cecil and Mary Campbell, an older brother Calvin who died in infancy, his mother and father in law Vivian N. and Eva Pearl (York) Perry, his grandparents Harry and Margaret (McGrath) Sherrill and James H. and Luella (Higgins) Campbell (later Gilmore). Also preceding him were his sister Virginia Nelson and her husband Orville, sister Thelma Perry and husband Rolland, brothers in law Gerald Perry (wife Marsolie) , Wayne Perry (wife Lorraine), Marlyn Perry, and sister in law Evelyn Crowfoot (husband Thayer).
He is survived by his wife Phyllis, his son Gaylen Campbell and wife Vickie, and his daughter Rhonda Desmond and her husband Steve. 8 grandchildren, Curtis Metcalfe (wife Erika), Eric Metcalfe (wife Kristin), Jamie Lubiens (husband Trevor), Amanda Baldwin (husband Kyle), Jennifer Limback (husband Joshua), Jaden Campbell (wife Kendra), Holly McGurn (husband Josh), and Kirsten Donovan (husband Tyson). 18 great grandchildren, Braxton Metcalfe, Margot Metcalfe, Connor, Emmett, and Annie Baldwin, Kellom and Taiya Lubiens, Caleb, Brayden, and Adalyn Limback, Payson, Emmerson, and Wyatt Campbell, Reagan, Rylee, and Rowan McGurn, Tynlee and Kyndall Donovan. Melvin also had a very special place in his heart for Ron Metcalfe and Sandy Campbell. Also surviving is sister in law Darlene Young (Husband Birdsall), Brother in law Francis Perry (wife Coeta), sister in law Delores Perry Rudnik, and his many nieces and nephews and large extended family.
Funeral Service – Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 10:30 A.M. at the First Church of the Nazarene in Yuma, Colorado. Pastor Dave Martell and Pastor Paul Metcalfe officiated the service and Interment followed at the Yuma Cemetery. Baucke Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
2021-11-11