Larry "Jack" Campbell

Larry Campbell

Larry “Jack” Campbell, 85, passed away Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at his home.

Larry was born September 29, 1938, in Unionville, MO to Clyde Elton and Letha Chloie
(Clinkenbeard) Campbell. Raised on his family’s farm with his four siblings, he learned to work
with his hands at a young age through farming, raising animals, trapping and hunting,
construction, maintenance, and then machinery when his family was able to purchase a tractor in
1950. Larry was proud to be one of the first in his family to graduate high school, and he did so in
1957 from Unionville High School. In 1956, Larry went square-dancing on a blind date in
Cincinnati, IA where he met Donna Moore. They became best friends quickly and soon fell in
love. Larry and Donna were married on September, 13 1959. They moved to Des Moines later that
same year, and after working various jobs, Larry founded his own contracting and construction
company, Campbell Construction, in 1967, which he continued until his retirement. He renovated,
drafted, built, and remodeled countless homes in the Des Moines area during his long career, but
his greatest feat of craftsmanship was building his wife a beautiful home for retirement. Larry did
much of the labor himself, and completed his home (and his contracting career) in 2008 at the
age of 69.

In addition to his contracting career, Larry also proudly served in the Army National Guard
from 1956-1962, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant, and the Air National Guard from 1972-1988,
earning the rank of Master Sergeant. He looked back fondly on his time in the service, grateful for
the civil engineering skills he honed and the love of traveling that he acquired–a love that he
kept his whole life.

Over the years, Larry couldn’t help but become a teacher to his family, notably teaching
many of them how to professionally mow a lawn, operate heavy machinery, tile a floor, shingle a
roof, renovate an entire kitchen, and so on. In addition to his own grandchildren, Larry also
became a second grandfather to all of the kids his wife, Donna, cared for during the years she ran
a daycare in their home–kids who, alongside his own grandchildren, he taught how to ride a bike,
read a book, feed birds, play baseball, and much more; kids who, as adults now, still know Larry
as “Grandpa Jack”; kids who he loved as his much as his own grandchildren.
Larry is survived by his children, daughter, Deb (Tom) Beenken; son, Steve (Heather)
Campbell; grandchildren, Alissa (Jesse) Twyford, Cole Campbell, Ashley (Levi) Nettleton, Nick
Campbell, (and honorary grandchildren); sisters, Annie Nelson, and Chloie (Joe) Rodish. In
addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Leroy Campbell and
Roger Campbell.

In his last years, Larry reminisced, collected, and wrote down many of the stories and
memories that made up his long life. As he shared these with family and friends, he would often
repeat that he had lived a good life and did not have any regrets. Larry would want his loved
ones to know that there is a time and place for mourning, but to remember that because he is no
longer with us on Earth, he is once again able to be with his beloved wife–forever.

Family will greet guests on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave., Des Moines, Iowa. A funeral service will follow visitation at 12:00 p.m., at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Pine Hill Cemetery in Des Moines.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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