Charles Campbell Tribute

We are gathered here today to remember our dear friend Charles Campbell or as we all knew him, Chuck.   As I sat down to write this eulogy with tears in my eyes, I thought, “he wouldn’t want me to be crying”.  So, I wiped my eyes and I tried to think about what a eulogy really is. 

I want to honor one of the greatest men I ever knew.  He was honest, straight forward, you always knew where you stood with Chuck, but if you were lucky enough to become one of his friends, he was an amazing strength and protectorate.  I never felt more protected than when I was with Chuck. 

As many of you may know, my better half Ken and Chuck were both motorcycle enthusiasts. And they even had the same Anniversary Fat Boy Harley Davidson, although Chuck would usually opt to ride his other Harley fondly named, “Big Daddy”.  I was new to the motorcycle world, but under Chuck’s direction, we rode just behind him on his inside right, so he could watch us in his mirror.  He was such a safe rider and made me feel like we had our own personal motorcycle escort.  I was never afraid when we rode with Chuck.  But be afraid, if you were the driver on the road who weaved into our lane or didn’t signal.  Chuck would slowly pull up to the driver’s side window and very loudly and succinctly tell you what an idiot you were and to be more careful.  I’m sure he saved hundreds of people’s lives with his little “drivers wake up call” speech.

He may have loved those bikes, but to really see his face light up, you needed to see him with Francie, his dog.  I don’t who loved who more, but that was an amazing friendship.  

Towards the end of his life, he was going back and forth between his sister Becky’s and a hospital in Lynchburg, Virginia.  Ken flew out to see him and one day when they had removed the IVs, he asked Ken if he could take him downstairs to sit outside for a few minutes.  So they went downstairs and it was pouring rain.  Ken told Chuck to stay put in a little Kiosk out of the rain and he would run to get the car.  (These 2 together were always a little mischievous).  And off they went, Ken had kidnapped Chuck in the middle of the night in the rain and they were on a mission for ice cream.  Now that may be easy to find in the middle of LA at 8pm at night, but in Western Virginia, it was going to be a long shot.  Ken had had trouble finding an electric razor during the daytime, so he wasn’t optimistic.  And Chuck was never optimistic. 

Sure enough after about a half an hour on the road, they saw a little restaurant in the distance.  Chuck had fallen asleep and as they pulled up, Ken saw…that it was an Ice Cream Shop and they had over 50 kinds of fresh ice cream.  He nudged Chuck to see what flavor he wanted and Chuck kind of grumbled, “What do they have Chocolate and Vanilla” and said, “No, look.”  And as Chuck lifted his head, he began to smile and as he looked over all the available flavors, he said, “I’ll have a banana milkshake”.  While they were driving back to the hospital, he said it was the best banana milkshake he had ever had. 

I strongly believe that Chuck is in a better place - just waiting for us all to join him.  There’s another angel in the sky and he’s looking over all of us.

Amen