Howard Campbell was born and raised in Sheridan, WY, and remained loyal to Wyoming his whole life. As a boy, he was active in Boy Scouts and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. As an adult at various times, he was a camp counselor, committeeman, assistant scoutmaster, and scoutmaster; in Wyoming and with Troop 130 in Golden, Colorado.
During World War II, Howard was drafted into the U.S. Army, and served as a combat medic in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. His unit, the 104 Infantry Division, known as the Timberwolves, held annual reunions after the war which he attended from 1992 to 2012. He enjoyed talking with fellow vets about their experiences.
After graduating from the University of Wyoming with a master’s degree in chemistry, Howard worked for FMC Corporation at their soda ash plant near Green River, WY, and also at their research facility in Golden, CO. He received several patents and wrote papers for scientific publications. He retired in 1988, and moved to Wheat Ridge, CO in 2000.
He was a sports fan and followed the UW Cowboys, win or lose. He attended football and basketball games when he could, and kept up with teams on radio and TV.
Howard joined veterans’ organizations in his later years. In Green River, he belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and served on the Honor Guard at veterans’ funerals. He continued on All Veterans Honor Guards in Colorado, with the VFW in Golden and then with the American Legion in Lakewood.
Memberships: • Congregational Church, Sheridan, WY. • Boy Scouts of America (Eagle Scout) in Sheridan, WY. • Boy Scout adult leader, Golden, CO, and Green River, WY, as Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster. • Acacia Fraternity, University of Wyoming. • Veterans of Foreign Wars • Green River, WY, Post 2321, 1985 to 2000 • Golden, CO, Post 4171, 2001 to 2004 • American Legion, Lakewood, CO, Post 178, 2004 - 2016. Member of All Veterans Honor Guard under VFW and American Legion for military services at funerals for military veterans. • American Chemical Society: 60-year member • Gamma Sigma Epsilon: Chemistry honorary at University of Wyoming • National Timberwolf Association. Attended annual reunions from 1991 through 2009 at various cities throughout the United States.
Education • Graduated from Sheridan High School, Sheridan, WY in 1942. • Attended University of Wyoming for two quarters before going into the military during World War II. • University of Wyoming from March 1946 to May 1949. Earned BS in Chemistry. • University of Wyoming from June 1949 to May 1952. Earned MS in Chemistry.
Military: • Howard was drafted into the United States Army and reported for duty at Fort Logan, Denver, CO. He was then sent to Camp Barkeley, TX, for Basic Training as an infantry medic. He applied for the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), was accepted and was sent to Rutgers University in New Jersey to study Engineering. • In 1944, more troops were needed for the war, so ASTP men were used. After more training at Camp Carson, Colorado Springs, CO, Howard landed at Cherbourg, France on September 7, 1944. He was a combat medic in the Netherlands, Belgium, & Germany. He returned to the United States on July 3, 1945, expecting to be sent to the Pacific front to fight Japan. However, the war ended on August 15, so he was discharged on December 14, 1945, at Camp Luis Obispo, CA. His rank at discharge was Private First Class. He was a member of the 104 Infantry Division, (known as the Timberwolf Division), 413 Regiment. • Army Medals & Ribbons: Good Conduct, Victory Medal, European Theatre of Operations Ribbon, American Theatre Ribbon, three Battle Stars, and a Unit Citation.
Employment: • Summer 1947: Howard drove an unrefrigerated truck for a Sheridan, WY dairy delivering dairy items, including ice cream and butter to businesses around Sheridan. It included an overnight trip to the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana and overnight to Gillette, Sundance, and Newcastle, WY. In the hot summer weather, keeping the ice cream cold was a challenge. • Summers and part-time during school years: U.S. Bureau of Mines Petroleum and Oil Shale Experiment Station, Laramie, WY. • August 1952: Started at the Westvaco Company soda ash mining and refining plant west of Green River, WY. Soda ash is refined from trona ore, and consists mainly of sodium carbonate. It is used in making glass and water softening. He and his family lived at first in Green River, and then Rock Springs, WY. He rode a company bus to work. • Westvaco later became a part of FMC Corporation. Howard continued to work in Green River until he was offered an opportunity to transfer to an FMC laboratory in Golden, CO to provide technical service to glass manufacturers. The family moved to Golden, CO. • While at the Golden facility, Howard worked with a team on several projects seeking ways to improve products and services. One focused on using waste glass to keep it from going to landfills. He also did a study of the behavior of finely ground solids when being mixed. Several papers were published and patents were awarded. • In 1975, the Golden lab was phased out, so Howard transferred back to the Green River plant. He continued working there as supervisor of the quality control laboratory until his retirement at age 65.
Surviving relatives: • Spouse: Helen • Son: Milton Campbell & wife Kathleen Campbell, Manhattan Beach, CA • Daughter: Katherine Campbell, Lakewood, CO o Grandchildren: Timothy Campbell & wife Sarah Sheldon o Daniel Gould o Claire Gould • Son: Roderick Campbell & wife Mary Ellen Butler, Albuquerque, NM • Nephew / Adopted Brother: Myrl Campbell & wife Cheryl, Sheridan, WY
Howard was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Milton James Campbell (1909 - 1944, died in Riverside, CA).
Howard’s Interests and Activities: • Letter press printing • Boy Scouts • Military History • Family camping • For several years was a member of a group of military veterans who provided military services at the funerals of veterans. He usually was a member of the rifle salute group. All-Veterans Honor Guard, American Legion Post.
Graveside Service: Thursday, May 26, 2016 at 2:30 PM Fort Logan National Cemetery, 3698 So. Sheridan Blvd., Denver, CO
Newcomer - West Metro Chapel (303-274-6065) is assisting the family
Newcomer Family Obituaries - May 2016.