In Memory of
Kenneth W. Campbell
October 29,
1932 - September 13, 2020
Obituary
On Sunday, September 13,
2020, Kenneth W. Campbell passed away peacefully
at Morristown Memorial Hospital. Ken was born on October
29, 1932 in Jersey City, NJ to Inez & William Campbell
(deceased). He was also predeceased by his older brother
and great friend, Richard Campbell.
From 1952 to 1955, Ken served his country as a
Corporalin the United States Marine Corps during the
Korean War. Ken was an excellent athlete and played on
the Marine Corps football team. He was also an
outstanding marksman and some of his ribbons and medals
include the Expert Rifleman's Badge and the Marksman
Pistol Badge.
After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Ken
returned home where he met his beloved wife of 63 years,
Lois while working in the police department at
Harborsidein Jersey City. Before they had children, Lois
and Ken enjoyed going out with his glamourous mother,
Inez and his stepfather, Jimmy Rickard.
Ken went on to own a bar --- The Wheel Inn --- in Union
City with his childhood friend, Sal Frega. After Ken and
Lois had their first child, Brian, in 1961, Ken sold the
bar and was inducted as a patrolman of The Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1961. He enjoyed
a long and storied career with The Port Authority and
retired as a Detective Sergeant. Ken was well-known and
beloved bythe men who worked alongside him when he
worked asthe Commanding Officer of the Brooklyn Piers.
He wasalso a long-standing officer of The Sergeant’s
Benevolent Association and retired as First Vice
President after serving for many years alongside his
friends. Ken was an excellent sharpshooter and received
many awards during his career. The most important of his
achievements on the force was working at the NYC Port
Authority Bus Terminal with teenage runaways to reunite
the teens with family members or social services to help
them avoid a life on the streets.
Ken’s greatest love was his family. He lived for family
vacations at his home in Mantoloking where a multitude
of family and friends would gather for backyard
barbeques and revelry. Ken also loved hosting holidays
with his brother’s family -- niece Mary Ellen and nephew
Richie at his home –with Lois’ delicious cooking and
baking—and Ken’s accomplished bartending!
Ken also was the first to say he was married to the most
beautiful woman in the room and that he was a lucky man.
When he had grandchildren, Ken’s capacity for generosity
and love expanded even more—he was so pleased to see and
hear of all the achievements of his beloved Miranda,
Shane and Rachael and Christina and Michelle.
Ken will be sorely missed by his family, but they have
faith that he is attending “The Chapel in the Sky,”
meeting up with Jimmy Rickard for a Jets game and
holding marathon poker games with all his friends.
Ken is survived by his wife, Lois; son Brian (Dottie);
daughterTracey Zoppi (Phil); grandchildren; Miranda,
Shane and Rachael, Christina and Michelle.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2020
from 4 – 7 pm at Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home, 101 S
Finley Ave, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. For further
information, or to leave an online condolence message
for the family please visit:
Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home
