- Date Of Birth: May 16, 1944
- Date Of Death: December 24, 2021
- State: California
Thomas Andrew Campbell died on December 24, 2021, at age 77 in San Diego, CA, surrounded by his beloved wife and children. He fought a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease for 11 years prior to his death.
Tom was born on May 16, 1944, in Enfield, NH. He had many fond memories of his childhood. His days were spent playing sports, collecting coins, delivering The Valley News, serving as an altar boy at St.
Tom and Diane started their married life in Athens, GA, and then moved to Long Beach, CA. While stationed there, Tom served two tours in Vietnam aboard the U.S.S. Valley Forge as a Supply Corps Officer. It was in Vietnam that Tom was exposed to the neurotoxin Agent Orange, later linked to the development of his Parkinson’s disease.
Tom later served in Washington, D.C., Ethiopia, and Ohio. After 10 years of active duty, he joined the Navy Reserve. He started a civilian career as a computer scientist and earned a master’s degree in operations research at night, graduating from Case Western Reserve University. He also became CPA certified. He began a government career working for the Department of Defense in VA.
With his kind, blue eyes and sweet, gentle soul, Tom had a calming presence everywhere he went. He had unwavering loyalty for his wife and three daughters. He relished all intellectual challenges and could often be found playing chess, creating complex games, designing new inventions, updating his extensive genealogy database, or trying to unravel the missing pieces in Parkinson’s disease research. He was a talented and astute bridge and pinochle player and loved the many games he played partnered with Diane. He particularly enjoyed playing ping-pong with his children and grandchildren.
Tom lived a full and meaningful life. He was a good husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Anna Campbell, and his grandparents, Wayne and Mae Campbell and William and Catherine Laffee.
He is survived by his wife, Diane Campbell; daughters Kerry Campbell, Kristin [Daniel] Hall, and Shannon [Tony] Davis; and seven grandchildren: Anna Schorr; Noah Hamilton; Paulina, David, and Elena Hall; and Colvin and Sylvia Davis. Tom is also survived by his brother, Paul Campbell, and stepsister, Jerianne Ashley. Tom was well-loved and will always have a special place in our hearts.
Tom was dedicated to supporting research for Parkinson’s disease.
