Jim Campbell of Columbus

April 23, 1923 - April 21, 2020

James Lee Campbell passed away on April 21, 2020, at Trinity Nursing Home in Columbus, MS. A graveside service for immediate family will be April 23, 2020, at 1:00 at Friendship Cemetery. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Crematory, 2nd Avenue North. Mr. Campbell was born in Des Moines, Iowa on April 23, 1923, to James Edward Campbell and Jessie Elizabeth Campbell. He was a long-time member of Annunciation Catholic Church in Columbus, MS.
He graduated in 1941 from Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, TN. He attended the University of Notre Dame for three years majoring in Aeronautical Engineering until called to active duty with the U.S. Army Engineers where he served for two and a half years in the European Theater of Operations. After his honorable discharge, he married Margaret Anne Heffernan in Memphis, TN, on May 14, 1946, and remained married until her death on June 27, 2006.
Mr. Campbell then enrolled in the University of Tennessee graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He also took Advanced Air Force ROTC and was awarded a commission in the Air Force Reserve. While at the University of Tennessee, he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. In 1995, Notre Dame awarded Mr. Campbell a Special Citation in the Golden Jubilee year of his graduation in recognition of his service to his country.
After working in private industry, Mr. Campbell was called to active duty with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and served as an Electronics Officer for seventeen months and received an honorable discharge. Following World War II, Mr. Campbell received four medals for his service. He was proud to be a member of the “Greatest Generation.”
Mr. Campbell was Product Reliability Manager for the Electro Division of United Technologies in Columbus, MS, for almost thirty years before his retirement in 1985. During his time living in Columbus, MS, he served as President of the Columbus Rotary Club and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was past President of the Columbus Country Club.
He was a member of the Annunciation Catholic Church and served as chairman of the Pastoral Council, Chairman of the Building Committee, was a charter member of the W.H. Jolly Knights of Columbus and was active in many other church duties.
Mr. Campbell was a charter member of the Layabout Golf Group, member of the Lake Norris Fishing Club and served on the board of the Good Samaritan Medical Clinic.
He enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing, and various overseas travel with his wife. He was a very loving and caring father and enjoyed time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was especially grateful for the care and help his children provided him in his later years.
He wrote an autobiography titled “Further Down the Avenue” which he had published.
Survivors include his daughter Elyse Allen (Perky) Richard (Ray) of Columbus; three sons, James Lee Campbell Jr. (Ann) of Flora, MS, John William (Jack) Campbell (Robin) of Amory, MS and David Richard Campbell (Reba) of Columbia, SC; and grandchildren Elizabeth Anne (Betsy) Johnston (Thomas), Catherine Elyse (Katie) McDill (Chris), James Lee (Jimmy) Campbell III, Kathryn Ann Campbell (Brett), John Rockne Campbell (Melissa), Michael Benjamin Campbell (Sallie Marie), Leah Kathryn Anzenberger (Tim), Carrington Elizabeth Campbell, John William Campbell Jr. and great grandchildren Robert David Johnston, Campbell Emerson Smith, John King (Jack) Campbell, Wyatt Benjamin Campbell, Katy Jane Anzenberger and Elyse Lynn McDill.
Pallbearers will be his grandsons and grandsons-in-law.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Layabout Group, the staff of Trinity Nursing Home, John East, Norman Unruh and Bill Walker.
The family would like to especially thank Jeanie Miller, Cassie Neal and Jessi Miller for taking such wonderful care of our “Idaddy.”
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Annunciation Catholic Church, 808 College Street, Columbus, MS, 39701 or Annunciation Catholic School, 223 North Browder Street, Columbus, MS, 39702.