L.A. Campbell

L.A. Campbell, age 87, passed away on Monday, February 17, at Sterling House of Maryville. An Alcoa "Tornado" through-and-through, the transition to having a Maryville address when he moved to Sterling House Assisted Living of Maryville was hard . . . the final transition to heaven was full of peace and glory! L.A. grew up in the Bassel community in Alcoa on Lindsey Street with his parents, Lucious and Delean Campbell and his brother, Robert, all of whom predeceased him. He met the love of his life, his future wife, Virginia Lee Hand, as a student at Alcoa High School. After graduating in 1945, he enlisted in the U.S. Army just as World War II was ending, and served his country in France. Returning to civilian life, he attended Maryville College where he played football and baseball and graduated in 1951 with a degree in Physical Education. He and Virginia were married on April 15, 1951. He taught physical education and math (including algebra, geometry, and calculus) first at Friendsville, and then for Alcoa City Schools - Bassel (where he also served as principal), Springbrook, and Alcoa Junior High and High School. He coached every sport available at the time: basketball – both boys' and girls' teams, football, and, for many years, Alcoa High School baseball. Generations of kids, now middle-aged and older, know him as "Coach Campbell." During the 1960's he enrolled at UT and earned a Master's Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision. L.A. was kind, patient, generous, intelligent, creative, and wryly funny. His life revolved around giving to others. He was always willing to provide extra help to his students before and after school. He gave blood regularly his whole adult life; he delivered meals for Meals on Wheels after his retirement from teaching at the age of 68, developing wonderful friendships with the clients; he loved gardening and grew delicious tomatoes, green beans, corn, okra, and cucumbers that he happily gave away to friends, neighbors and acquaintances as well as to the folks on his Meals on Wheels routes. He was active in Alcoa First United Methodist Church for 60+ years, participating in and leading committees, ushering, and leading Bible studies and teaching the Christian Fellowship Sunday School class. L.A. discovered the pleasure of grandparenting upon the birth of his first granddaughter, Meghan Large Rasnake, and played Barbies with her and later with his second granddaughter Keely Pate Everett without complaint. He then had three grandsons, David Norris Large, Robert "Bo" Lee Campbell, and Shane Christopher Campbell with whom he shared his love of sports of all kinds, playing baseball, basketball, tee ball, golf, soccer and football with all of them any chance he got. L.A. is survived by his wife of 63 years, Virginia Hand Campbell, his daughters and sons-in-law, Jenny Campbell Pate (Bill) of Springfield VA and Amy Campbell Large (Phil) of Maryville, and his son and daughter-in-law, Robert "Bob" Montgomery Campbell (Connie McCall) of Hobe Sound, FL, his five beloved grandchildren and one great-grandchild, Eliot Campbell Rasnake, his sister-in-law Mary Nelle Campbell, and a host of friends, especially his best, lifelong friend Gene Reynolds (Charlene). Sincere thanks to the wonderful staff at Sterling House of Maryville and to his friend and physician, Dr. Steve Pershing of Madisonville. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alcoa First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 617 Gilbert Street, Alcoa, TN 37701, or to the Blount County Community Action Agency's Meals on Wheels, 3509 Tuckaleechee Pike, Maryville, TN 37804. Funeral services will be held at Alcoa First United Methodist Church on Thursday, February 20, at 4:00 p.m. with receiving of friends prior to the funeral from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Family and friends will assemble for graveside service and interment at Grandview Cemetery on Friday, February 21 at 11:00 a.m. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithLifeandLegacy.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of L.A. Campbell please visit our Sympathy Store.