Wilby C. Campbell

Wilby Clement Campbell
Mulhearn Funeral Home
Sterlington Road, Monroe

Funeral services for Mr. Wilby Clement Campbell, 97, of Monroe, LA, formerly of Fort Necessity, LA will be held at 11:00 AM Monday  at Victory Baptist Church, Finks Hideaway Road with Rev. John Mark Little, Rev. Virgil Harris, and Rev. Bobby Ensminger officiating. Private interment will follow at Delhi Masonic Cemetery, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
 
Mr. Campbell was born October 26, 1913 in Pine Prairie, LA and  passed away Friday, January 28, 2011 at St. Francis Medical Center.
 
In 1938, Mr. Campbell received a B.S. Degree in Vocational Agricultural Education from Louisiana State University, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Fraternity. He later received a M.S. Degree in Education/Supervision from the University of Arkansas as well as a “plus 30” from Northeast Louisiana University (ULM), where he was a member of Phi Delta Kappa Honor Society.
 
Mr. Campbell served in the last horse calvary unit of the U.S. Army as a 1st LT. at Fort Bliss, TX, and subsequently served in the chemical warfare unit at Fort Lewis, WA, receiving a medical discharge in 1943.
 
He settled in Fort Necessity, LA, where he was employed by the Franklin Parish School System. He established the first agriculture class and the first Future Farmers of America organization at Fort Necessity High School. He was instrumental in building the first vocational agriculture classroom and workshop at the school. During 35 years with Franklin Parish Schools, he served as principal at Fort Necessity High School and as a school supervisor for the parish. He retired in 1975 and later served on the Franklin Parish School Board for seven years.
 
In 1947, he married Mary Alice O’Neal of Delhi, LA. She too, was an educator and together they spent another 60 years in Fort Necessity. They were members of Fort Necessity Baptist Church, where he served as deacon.
 
Mr. Campbell was active in many organizations including the Masons, Shriners, the Lions Club, Franklin Parish Water Board, TRIAD Council on Aging and American Legion. He also belonged to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, serving on the Executive Committee and as parliamentarian.
 
He was a lifelong sports fan and loved to reminisce about many happy days spent hunting in Tensas Parish and with his friends, J.W. and Nell McLemore. He always had a favorite joke or story to tell and took great pleasure in recounting the many successes of his former students. He had a unique ability to remember names and everyone’s relatives and their accomplishments in life.
 
Since moving to Monroe in 2006,  he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his great-grandchildren, and with his friends at Chauvin Pointe Retirement Community and Victory Baptist Church.
 
Mr. Campbell was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse C. Campbell and Pearl Harrell Campbell; brother, Kirby Campbell; sisters, Verda Leggett and husband Clyde and Cloyde Gaudet and husband Leslie.
 
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Mary Alice O’Neal Campbell of Monroe; son, Wilby O’Neal Campbell and wife Carol of Monroe; two grandchildren and their spouses, Brian Campbell and wife Holly, Jennifer Campbell Brown and husband Sperry; great grandchildren, Will Campbell, Thomas Campbell, Braeden Brown, Bennett Brown, and Samantha Brown, all of Monroe; and a host of nieces and nephews.
 
Pallbearers will be Clovis C. Bringol, Dr. Kermit R. Burnside, J.H. Colvin, Jr., Dr. Tom Colvin, David McLemore, James W. McLemore, III, Col. Rastus O. Massey, USAF Ret., Danny Matthews, Col. Charles B. Moore USAF Ret., and James E. Wooldridge.
 
Honorary pallbearers are the men of Fort Necessity Baptist Church, Victory Baptist Church, Beouf Prairie Methodist Church, and nephews.
 
Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Sunday, January 30,2011 at Victory Baptist Church, located at 740 Finks Hideaway Road, Monroe, LA. On Monday, January 31, the family will greet friends at Victory Baptist Church for one hour prior to service.
 
The family wishes to express their thanks to Alberta, Mary, Lisa, and Lynda who provided excellent home and hospital care, and to Shannon Newton and her staff at St. Joseph Hospice, the doctors, Gregory R. Green, M.D. and Owen M. Meyers, M.D., the nursing staff at St. Francis Medical Center, and  the staff of the Louisiana War Veterans Home.
 
Memorials may be made to Fort Necessity Baptist Church, Hwy 562, Fort Necessity, LA 71243 or to Victory Baptist Church, 740 Finks Hideaway Road, Monroe, LA 71203, or to the charity of your choice.