Obituary of Joseph R. Campbell

Joseph Riley Campbell (Joe) gently left this life on October 1, 2023, with his beloved wife Anne at his side, at the age of 93.

Joe was born in Brooklyn, NY on November 26, 1929. In his youth, his family moved to Glens Falls, NY where he attended St. Mary’s Academy. He developed a passion for sports, playing baseball and football. After High School Joe studied for the priesthood with the Maryknoll Fathers Seminary in Ossining, NY. He left the seminary to enlist in the US Army, was accepted into Officer’s Candidate School and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. The Korean War/Conflict ended just before his overseas deployment.

Joe’s life was dedicated to his faith, his family, and in service to others.  After an honorable discharge from the Army, Joe graduated from Springfield College and turned his profound love of sports into a job as a physical education teacher in Pelham, NY. He also ran a boys day camp out of his station wagon. A gifted mentor, Joe was awarded a Master’s Degree in Guidance from Queens College, and was employed as a guidance counselor for Ossining High School. He eventually completed an Administrator’s Certificate at NYU, and guidance counseling turned into school administration. Joe was the Asst. Superintendent/Director of Pupil Personnel for the Mount Vernon School District until his retirement in 1989. He said that his most important job was to help troubled kids find a path to success.

Joe and Anne (Carrigan) met on a blind date in April 1959 and were married in June 1960. They had 4 children and the family lived for many years in Bronxville, NY. Joe was devoted to his wife and family and taught his kids every sport he knew. They traveled often with their dog, Smokey, in the family station wagon, but their favorite vacation destination was Huletts Landing on Lake George. In 1971 Joe constructed much of what became the family summer home, aka “the Red House.” At Huletts, Joe ran weekly golf tournaments for adults, hosted golf lessons and softball games for kids, and ran annual North-South tournaments for teens. He loved handing out trophies. Golf was Joe’s favorite sport and he succeeded in sinking 3 holes in one. He was an active member of the Huletts community and served on the Golf Committee and as Treasurer of the homeowners association for many years. “Skipper Joe” also enjoyed driving his boat, Soupy, on the Lake and was an incredibly patient water-skiing instructor.

During his working years, Joe also spent time coaching CYO basketball, was a high school basketball referee, and taught ESL night courses. After his retirement, Joe and Anne loved to travel. They divided their time between Huletts Landing and Somers, NY, spending winters in Port Charlotte and Fort Myers, Florida, while planning trips to US Cities, National Parks and European destinations. In between, Joe volunteered as a Eucharistic Minister to nursing homes for St. Joseph’s Church in Somers. In Florida, he enjoyed golf and bocce, and volunteered his time helping retirees file their income taxes. Joe also spent many years researching Campbell family genealogy, before the internet was widely available, visiting government offices and churches in the U.S., Ireland and Scotland to scour the archives. He enjoyed family games around the table and jigsaw puzzles. Most recently Anne and Joe resided in Southbury, CT.

Joe is survived by his cherished wife of 63 years, Anne, and their close family: daughters Joanne Keenan and her husband Patrick; Jeanne Eliseo and her husband Mark; and Kathy Campbell and her husband Dave Sheppard; son Joseph R. Campbell, Jr. and his wife Jennifer; and extended family Susan Conaty (Tom), Cathy Ann Flanagan and her children Kevin, Sean and Sarah; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Joe especially delighted in watching his 12 grandchildren grow up: Kristen, Patrick and John Keenan; Matthew (Steph), Keriann (Kevin), Mary, Mark and Dan Eliseo; Ben Sheppard; and Collette, Lauren and Katherine Campbell. He recently met his first great-grandchild, Mabel Jean Eliseo.

He is predeceased by his parents, Helen (Dolen) and Riley Joseph Campbell, sister Alice (Albert) Sarrantonio, and brother James (Veronica) Campbell.

Calling hours will be held at the Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Rd, Katonah, NY on Thursday, October 5^th from 3-6pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s Church, 95 Plum Brook Road in Somers, NY on Friday, October 6^th at 11:30 am. A private burial will follow in Huletts Landing, NY.

Donations in honor of Joe Campbell may be made to the Huletts Golf Club (Venmo @Huletts-Golf-Club) or to a charity of your choice.

The family extends their sincere appreciation for the loving care and compassion expressed by the staff at the Watermark Assisted Living facility in Southbury, CT and Regional Hospice of Danbury.