Francis "Ozzie" Campbell, age 79, of Huron, died from pancreatic cancer on December 9, 2016, at the Violet Tschetter Memorial Home. He was cremated and his memorial service will be held in the spring of 2017.
Francis "Ozzie" Campbell was born to Eugene "Slim" and Norma (Sampson) Campbell in Huron, on May 23, 1937. He grew up in Huron. As a boy, he was considered a genius with a photographic memory. He read most of the encyclopedia by age 12. He was artistic like his family, and joined the family sign business as a teenager. At 18, he graduated from Huron High School with honors.
As a young adult, he owned Campbell Signs with his dad, brother, Jim and brother-in-law, Ross. They painted signs and made neon signs. They started making large plastic signs but Ozzie had to sell out the business because he extended credit to customers and some would not pay. Ozzie had assumed others were honest with money as he was. Then in the 1970's Ozzie bought a new invention, the vacuum former, and made signs with that. Later Ozzie started making Redwood signs and traveled to fairs all over the Midwest to sell them. Ozzie was a perfectionist in his work.
Ozzie married Carol Becker on April 6, 1957, in Huron. They were married 59 years, and had three daughters.
Ozzie loved to talk, eat good food, and do artistic things. He loved animals, and was obsessed with cats. For years he drove his moped all over town with his dog, Benji in the basket. He had many cats and was on the national news for teaching his cat Ruby to nurse orphaned baby bunnies.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Jim.
He is survived by his wife, Carol of Sioux Falls; three daughters, Pam Stanley of Huron, Paula (Adam) Campbell of Sioux Falls and Patricia (Jason) Campbell of Sioux Falls; six grandchildren, Sharlyse Stanley, Sarah Stanley, Darienae Hoffman, Destini Hoffman, Grace Glaesman and Jaxon Glaesman; two great-grandchildren, Samantha and Asher Stanley; and one sister, Rosemary Mason of Texas.