DALE MARTIN CAMPBELL
Dale Martin Campbell, oldest son of Joseph Martin Campbell and Bertha Lois (Keller) Campbell was born in rural Ringgold County, Iowa on September 25, 1930. He was welcomed by two-year-old sister, Edith, and eight siblings would follow.
Dale grew up during the Depression. He and his family worked hard, but they were known for having fun. As children we grew up listening to stories such as floating the molasses pan down the river for a boat, racing the train to the crossing with a horse and buggy and losing Melvin out the back and many other tales of adventure. The Campbell boys were known for swimming in the creeks, but the neighbor girls were not allowed to go swimming with them because it was a well-known fact that the Campbell boys did not wear swimming suits.
Dale began his driving career at about 10 years old when he would go into Mount Ayr with Joe Seaton on a Saturday night. Dad would go roller skating while Joe went to the tavern. When the night of fun had ended Dad would go back to the tavern and drive Joe back home to Delphos. Later Dale would drive about anything with four wheels driving coast to coast border to border and a whole lot more. He drove a truck for Mabel McCullough for years driving into Old Mexico, buying farm machinery, taking it apart, loading it on a flatbed truck, and then driving it to northern British Columbia, Canada and where he would reassemble it to be sold. He was an original Ice Road Trucker. He drove a semi down the frozen rivers of Canada and the Northwest Territory long before there was any reality show about Ice Road Trucking. There really was not any job that Dale could not become accomplished at if he set his mind to it. His motto has always been, “The impossible just takes a little longer.” Every aspect of his adult education was self-taught. He has operated road graders, caterpillars, tractors, trucks, he was an accomplished welder, metal fabricator, and mechanic just to name a few. He built roads through the mountains of Wyoming and installed high line poles. He worked for the Forest Service and cut posts and poles in the mountains of Wyoming. One of his greatest joys was teaching his sons his various trades and crafts.
Dale was united in marriage to Mary Marsh. To this union was born Mary Joyce on December 5, 1950. Sadly, Mary Joyce would only live 14 hours. The second child of Dale and Mary was Beverly Kay. Dale and Mary divorced when Beverly was a toddler.
Dale was united in marriage to Jean Keller. To this union seven children were born; Jody Ann, Jack Martin, Jerry Lee, Jill Renae, Jimmy Dale, Joey Gene and Jay Dean.
We grew up poor, but we consider ourselves to be millionaires in experiences that our Dad and Mom provided for us as we grew up. Whether it was spending summers in British Columbia, Canada or camping trips to Wyoming, or Colorado, Dad and Mom always tried to get a vacation in once a year. There was a running joke in our family as other campers pulled into the camp grounds with fancy campers that they were “camping out, just like the Indians.”
Preceding Dale in death were his parents, wife, Jean Campbell, Mary Joyce, Jody (Campbell) Turnbull and Jerry Campbell, sister, Edith Warren, and brothers, Paul Campbell and Marvin Campbell, daughter-in-law, Robin Campbell, his wife Jean’s siblings, and grandchildren Joe Sage, Jr. and Brian Opperman.
Survivors include children: Beverly (Joe) Sage, Jack (Cindy) Campbell, Jill (Roger) Breach, Jimmy (Shelly) Campbell, Joey Campbell, Jay (Teresa) Campbell, son-in-law, Steve Turnbull, siblings, Melvin (Alice) Campbell, Clyde (Nancy) Campbell, Donna (Glenn) Adams, Ron (Carolyn) Campbell, Robert Campbell, Zelda (Dave) Winslow, brother-in law, Jack Greene and sister-in-law, Leora Keller. Dale had numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great, great grandchildren and multitudes that he considered to be his grandchildren.
Dale lived a full and adventurous life. He never knew a stranger and always said a stranger was just a friend you hadn’t met yet and as long as you have a mouth you are never lost. His life was hard, but his attitude was usually positive. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him.
Services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at the Lenox United Presbyterian Church.
Officianting will be Rev. Tim Maxa.
Open viewing will be 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 24 with family present from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr, IA.
Dale was laid to rest in the Clearfield Cemetery at Clearfield, IA.
Memorials can be left in his name to be decided later.
