Charles Devon Campbell was born on Sep. 5, 1941, the first child of Charles Henry (C.H.) Campbell and Nellie Cozette (Drewry) Campbell, in Witts Springs, Ark. Growing up on a farm instilled hard work values in Devon, and a love of the land and beef cattle. While in high school, he became a basketball star. He graduated from Witts Springs High School in 1959, with honors, and went on to play college basketball at Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark. In 1965, Devon joined up with his brother, Afton, and they formed Campbell Brothers Drywall, which they worked together for 13 years, until 1978. In December 1975, he eloped to Miami, Okla., with Wilma Faye Clayborn, of Harrison, Ark. They settled into their married life together on a farm they named Ridgeway Farms, in Harrison, Ark., raising kids and cattle. After hosting some polled Hereford production sales of their cattle, Devon wanted to expand his herd and wanted better ranch land for it than he had in the flint hills of Arkansas, so he moved the family to a farm in Hartville, in 1977, bringing the Ridgeway Farms name with him, until changing it to Campbell Ranch in his later years. In Missouri, he became a realtor, and co-owner of Ridgeway Real Estate in Mansfield, while always continuing to build his cattle operation. He developed a show line of registered polled Herefords that were known as some of the best of the breed throughout the nation’s polled Hereford show circuit. And he became an avid Mansfield Lions basketball fan as he watched his sons and grandchildren play the sport he loved so much.
Devon departed this life on Feb. 6, 2024, in his home on the family farm, near Hartville, at the age of 82, after a very short illness. Devon was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie and Cozette Campbell; a sister-in-law, Melanie Campbell; and two nephews, Chris and Colin Campbell.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Faye, of the home; two brothers, Afton Campbell, of Harrison, Ark., and Kenny Campbell, of Snowball, Ark.; five children, John (Denise) Campbell, of Mansfield; Carl (Christie) Campbell, of Lead Hill, Ark.; Kelli Campbell Larson, of Springfield; LeAnne Campbell (Matthew) Lake, of Clayton, N.C.; Chuck (Natalie) Campbell, of Hartville; 13 grandchildren, Nicole Jones (Nathaniel), of Springfield; Rick (Jenn) Weaver, of Peoria, Ariz.; Trista Larson, of Strafford; Craig (Hannah) Campbell, of Mansfield; Kenzie Campbell, of Memphis, Tenn.; Kristin (Matthew) Kennedy, of Kirksville; Melinda (Landon) Logan, of Alpena, Ark.; Bayli Larson, of Washington, D.C.; Meg (Vance) Marlow, of Hartville; Erica (David) Jeffreys, of Raleigh, N.C.; Justin (Rilee) Campbell, of Bentonville, Ark.; Landen Campbell, of Hartville; and Kellen Campbell, of Hartville; eight great-grandchildren, Elyse Welch-Weaver, Briella Weaver, Colin Campbell, Haven Campbell, Norah Kennedy, Ladd Logan, Larson Logan and Della Faye Marlow (due March 1); nieces and nephews, Cyndi Campbell, Rob (Lauren) Campbell, Jodie (Marc) Delafuente, Kendrick Campbell and Charlie Campbell. Visitation will be held Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, from 12-2 p.m. at Hartville Free Will Baptist Church. Funeral services will follow the visitation at 2 p.m., also at the church, with the Rev. Gary Dedmon officiating. Song selections will be by the Williams Family. Rick Weaver, Craig Campbell, Justin Campbell, Matthew Kennedy, Landen Campbell, Kellen Campbell, Landon Logan, Vance Marlow and Brandon Bolfing will serve as pallbearers. Nicole Jones, Mackenzie Campbell, Kristin Kennedy, Melinda Logan, Erica Jefferys, Meg Marlow, Bayli Larson, Trista Larson, Jenn Weaver, Hannah Campbell and Rilee Campbell will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Burial will be in Campbell Cemetery, Hartville, under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mansfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made through the funeral Home to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to Mansfield High School Athletics Booster Club. Online condolences: www.craighurttfuneralhome.com.
