Charles Albert Campbell

Charles Albert Campbell Charles Albert Campbell was born to Charles Albert Wood Campbell and Hera Gladys (Pittenger) Campbell on May 16, 1925 in Lebanon Colo. He attended school at Lebanon and finished at the Calkins Building with the class of 1943. His father came to Colorado in 1896 to raise registered Hereford cattle. He had a summer ranch west of Belmer Mountain 30 miles north of Dolores. Some of Albert's favorite memories are of the summers and falls spent there until it was sold in 1940. At the age of 10, Albert, his 15 year old cousin Rodney McGee, and Merle Wilson, drove 250 pair from their Lebanon home up to the summer ranch which they referred to as Cow Camp. Albert, along with 5 other classmates from his class, went to the draft board and asked to be sent out on the next draft in July of 1943. After basic training, he was assigned to the military police and came home in 1946. One of Albert's favorite things to do was going fishing. It was on one of these fishing trips with friends in July of 1946 at Trout Lake, when he first saw Eileen Keeler from Lewis, Colo. and fell in love at first sight. They were married in Denver, Colo. on September 9, 1947, where Eileen had worked as a supervisor for the Burlington Railroad and Albert was attending Business College. They moved back to Cortez, where their daughter Elaine was born. Albert went to work for his stepfather J. T. Nerhood at Nerhood's Furniture. In May of 1955 Albert and Eileen opened a carpet and drapery store at 8 East Main in the same building where Albert had worked for Ted Roussin. In August 1955, Basil Slavens built the front part of the west third of present day Slaven's for Campbell's Carpet. On January 1, 1958 they bought Nerhood's Furniture which was the east third of the present day Slavens. Albert and Eileen always said they had two of the world's best men, Sid Powell and Rubio Martinez, faithfully helping them make a success of this business. During this time Albert served in Retail Trades and Indian Affairs Committee's in the Chamber of Commerce and in the Boy Scouts of America. Campbell's Furniture was sold in January 1970 and they began selling Native American Arts and Crafts to retail stores in Colorado, Arizona, and California. They enjoyed working with the great silversmiths, weavers, and bead makers they were privileged to know. As the grandchildren, Colt, Devon, and Brean came along, there were many vacations, fishing trips and time spent exploring the mountains in the old 1940's jeep with Elaine and the kids. The kids all learned to drive the old jeep on all the old, narrow mountain roads. After retiring in 1989, Albert and Eileen spent 12 winters in St. George, Utah. Albert felt that his greatest blessing was his family becoming members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in October 1961 and learning that life continues and families can be together for all eternity. This led to Albert's favorite hobby, family history research. This kept him busy for countless hours finding thousands of family members from the past. Albert was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen; his father, Charlie Campbell; his mother, Gladys; and his sisters, Mary Elgin Tudder and Ona Lou Bayers. He is survived by his daughter, Elaine Brown (Jim) of Dolores; his grandchildren, Colton Reed (Sonia) of Beaumont Hills, NSW, Australia, Devon Reed (Denise) of Gunnison, Colo., and Brean Shoopman (Justin) of Westminster, Colo.; great grandchildren, Sophia and Mercer Reed, Lexie, Kamden, and Ridley Reed, and Kyler and Avery Shoopman. Albert requested that there be no funeral services. A graveside service was held on February 13 at the Cortez Cemetery.