Chuck Campbell
Charles Patrick “Chuck” Campbell died on March 10, 2019 at the age of 81. He was born in Tacoma, Washington 21 October 1937, the only child of Chet and Rowena Campbell. The family moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico after WWII, when Chet worked on converting the labs to post war uses. They moved to Colorado just as Chuck was entering high school, and he graduated from Boulder High in 1955. Eventually he received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UC Boulder, with a concentration in English literature. His studies were interrupted, however, by a two-year sojourn in the Navy.
While at University, Chuck met and married his first wife, Mary Lou. When they confessed to friends that they’d become disenchanted with their childhood faiths, the friends introduced them to the Unitarian Church of Boulder. This encounter was the beginning of Chuck’s 59- year pilgrimage as a Unitarian Universalist.
In 1964, Chuck was accepted into a Ph.D. program in Boston. But his fellowship wouldn’t cover living expenses, and so he began to pursue other lines of work. He taught literature part-time at two local colleges, and found work with Arthur D. Little, a Cambridge consulting firm. During this time, he and Mary Lou decided to go their separate ways.
Tamara (“Tommi”) Wadsworth came into Chuck’s life in 1967. When they married the next year, he became an unofficial Dad to her three children, Dennis, Peter, and Jill. Tommi was also a UU, and together they became active in Boston’s Arlington Street Church. There they befriended a young lawyer named Sue Spencer, who remained friends with them through the years, and who would eventually become a UU minister. In 1979, the Campbells moved to Albuquerque to be closer to Chuck’s parents.
Chuck didn’t immediately find a teaching job in Albuquerque. Ever resourceful, he went to work for Mayflower, and for a few years drove moving vans all over the country. In 1982, he and Tommi found teaching jobs at the University of Albuquerque, and when it folded, he began a Ph.D. Program at the University of New Mexico. He earned his doctorate at age 51, in Technical Communication, and landed a tenure-track position at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. He taught at Tech for 12 years, retiring in 1999.
Although Chuck had been a “band geek” in high school, his love of the tuba blossomed after he came to Albuquerque. He played with several bands, but developed a passion for the traditional jazz of New Orleans. For 17 years he held the Tuba position with the Route 66 Revelers.
When Tommi died in 2011, Chuck’s long friendship with Sue Spencer blossomed into “something more,” and they married in 2012. From then until Chuck’s death, they counted themselves blessed to be together. When Sue became the Developmental Minister in Las Cruces, Chuck became the best clergy spouse anyone could ask for.
Chuck had been diagnosed in 2007 with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). For many years he was active despite this life-threatening illness — traveling, playing music, enjoying the out of doors, going to church, and generally finding joy in life. In the last 10 days of his life, he played three Mardi Gras gigs and one concert band practice, before the disease process finally caught up with him.
He is survived by his wife, the Rev. Dr. Suzanne Redfern-Campbell, two stepchildren from his prior marriage to the late Tamara G. Campbell, and many beloved family members.
A memorial service was held on April 13, 2019 at the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, NM, where Chuck was a member for almost 40 years.
Memorial donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, or to the Ministerial Internship Program at First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, 3701 Carlisle Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. UURMaPA will contribute $50 in his honor to the Albuquerque church.
Notes of condolence can be sent to Sue Redfern-Campbell, 6118 Edith Blvd NE, Unit 20, Albuquerque, NM 87107.