TAPS: CAPT “Jack” Campbell, U.S. Navy (Ret), passed away on 1 April at age 62.

CAPT Jack CampbellCaptain Weldon Jackson "Jack" Campbell, Jr., USN, retired, 62, of Falls Church, VA, passed from his earthly life on April 1, 2021 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center while fighting his last battle with cancer. 

Jack was born on July 12, 1958 in Winston-Salem, NC to the late Weldon Jackson and Hettie Lee Key Campbell and reared in Mt. Airy, NC. Survivors who mourn his loss are his two sisters and two brothers-in-law, Marye Vance Campbell Boggs (Parker) of Harlan, KY, Harriette Lu Campbell Brown (Dixon) of Winchester, VA, and four nieces and nephews, Albert Wilson Campbell Brown (Beatriz Lopes) of Naperville, Illinois, James Parker "Jake" Boggs (Jisoo) of Kailua-Kona, HI, Hettie Caitlin "Sudie" Brown (Andrew Logan) of Washington, DC, Marye Margaret "Mimi" Campbell Boggs Blair (Tyler) of Erlanger, KY, and one great nephew whom Jack designated "Grunk" to whom he was "Grunkle," Titus Ephraim Forsteri Blair of Erlanger, KY; great aunt Betty Key Whitaker, precious Key, Moore, Campbell, and Loftis cousins, and dear friends around the world also mourn his loss. 

Passing before Jack were his parents, Weldon Jackson and Hettie Lee Key Campbell, grandparents Cora Vance Collins and Jasper Davis Key, Harry Richard Campbell, Hazel Mary Loftis Campbell Moore, step-grandfather Dwight Lymon Moore, and great-grandparents Lula Robertson Campbell, Ephraim Jackson and Willie Emma "Grannie" Shelton Loftis as well as his very special godfather and godmother, great aunt and uncle Ephraim Jackson "June" and Jesse Loftis, and other Key, Loftis, Campbell and Moore aunts, uncles and cousins, all originally from Surry County or Mt. Airy, NC. 

Jack graduated from Mount Airy High School in 1976 and maintained close ties with his hometown "Mayberry." He attended North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before graduating from his beloved Wake Forest University, where he was a member of Alpha Pi Omega service fraternity and Alpha Sigma Phi social fraternity, and earned his bachelor of arts in politics in 1981. He was proud to represent the Order of the Eastern Star in their fundraising relationship with the Regenerative Medicine Institute at Wake Forest as a member of the General Grand Chapter Regenerative Medicine Committee from 2015 to 2018 and was designated to be reinstalled on November 4, 2021 for another 3-year term. Jack also studied economics at the University of Oklahoma, and obtained a master of arts in national security and strategic studies at the United States Naval War College.


Jack began scouting in Cub Scout Pack 542 and attained his Eagle Scout in May 1973 Troop 542, followed by the God and Country Award in 1974. This set him on a path to public and charitable service. He became 14 years of age on the trail to Philmont Scout Ranch, and served as junior scoutmaster, Troop 542 before departing for college. He remained involved both at Camp Raven Knob where he entered the Order of the Arrow Wahissa Lodge #118, Old Hickory Council. He served on staff at Camp Raven Knob's Cook Crew, Ranger's Crew, and Trading Post. The Vigil Honor Order of the Arrow was bestowed in 1995 for service to Camp Raven Knob, his troop, and Crew #89. In the National Capital Area Council, he served on the District Camporee Staff, as Patriot District's deputy district chairman, and other offices. Jack received the National Eagle Scout Association Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, Silver Beaver Award, the Distinguished Patriot Scout Award, and the Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award, national recognition for volunteer service in scouting. 

Jack felt strongly inspiring future generations toward lives of service and received the Rotary Club Paul Harris Award for his service to youth. Mostly recently, Jack mentored a young lady from North Carolina, one of the first among 987 females to attain the rank of Eagle Scout, recognized together on February 8, 2021. Jack continued to support her goals even while hospitalized. This young lady was the first female Eagle Scout in the nation to receive the National Certificate of Merit. His typical summer "vacation" was serving on staff at Camp Raven Knob or parking cars at the National Jamboree. 

He celebrated his Navy retirement in 2008 by serving on the Old Hickory Council Crew at Philmont Scout Ranch. During his 27 years on active duty, Jack served as a naval intelligence officer, operational intelligence officer, photographic intelligence officer, management analysis and control officer, scientific and technical intelligence officer, tactical intelligence officer, and joint specialty officer with sub-special ties in Space Operations and Operational Intelligence. 

Jack made an impact in the Kuwait Liberation, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Global War on Terrorism and other theaters of operation, the Central Imagery Office, Systems and Technology Directorate, National Imagery and Mapping Agency, and Chief, Future National IMINT Programs, Systems Engineering and Integration Division, Systems Engineering Office. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal (2), Legion of Merit (2) and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (3), among others.

Jack served two tours in Honolulu, Hawaii and held a deep and abiding love for its culture and people. Some considered him an amateur historian and ambassador of Hawaiian culture. He wore an Aloha shirt on his personal time, and shared the "Aloha" spirit and his wry sense of humor everywhere he went. 

When not working long days, Jack filled his life with Christian-based service organizations, their charities, and the many friends within those. Jack was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on March 13, 1981, at Renfro Lodge #691 in Mount Airy, NC, passed to the Fellowcraft degree on June 5, 1981 and raised to Master Mason on July 10, 1981. He became a Life Member of Oasis Shriners in 1981 in Charlotte, NC and is an Endowed Life, 32nd Degree Member of Valley of Winston-Salem, NC Scottish Rite. 

From there he was initialed in the Order of the Eastern Star, Oldtown Chapter 355, Winston-Salem, NC and transferred to the Lei Aloha Chapter #3, Honolulu, HI. While serving as Worthy Grand Patron in 1987, he revamped and funded the scholarship fund. He visited other Eastern Star chapters all over the world, and became a dual member of the District of Columbia Naomi Chapter #3 Order of the Eastern Star in 2008 where he served as Worthy Patron in 2009 and currently as Trustee; Trustee of the Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star of the District of Columbia Investment Committee, Temple Building and Maintenance, Inc.; Worthy Grand Patron, Grand Chapter of the District of Columbia, 2012; Commander, Columbia Commandery Knights Templar No. 2, 2019 and subsequently was awarded The Knight Templar Cross of Honor; Commander Robert de Bruce Council of Kadosh (Scottish Rite) 2020; Invested Knight Commander Court of Honor in Scottish Rite, Valley of Washington, Orient of the District of Columbia, 2017, and Trustee of the Scottish Rite Foundation of the District of Columbia, Inc. 

Jack also served as a member of the Washington and Lee York Rite College No. 93; Illustrious Master Triangle Council No. 3 Cryptic Masons of the District of Columbia, The Commemorative Order of St. Thomas of Acon, USA, NoVA Chapel, No. 25; St. Simeon Stylites Conclave Red Cross of Constantine; The Masonic Order of Athelstan In England, Wales, And Its Provinces Overseas; Columbia Commandery No. 2 KT; Knights Templar of the Grand Commandery of the District of Columbia, Mt. Pleasant Chapter No. 13, Royal Arch Masons, District of Columbia, and a Sir Knight and Cuzzin of Arlington Council No. 12, Knight Masons, USA. 

At the time of his passing, Jack was in his 12th year in the Senior Executive Service, serving in the Defense Intelligence Agency as the defense intelligence officer for South Asia. Among his awards is the 2017 Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Distinguished Civilian Service Award. We are forever grateful he had useful, appropriate telework beginning with the March 2020 COVID shutdown. Others went above and beyond in support of this work about which Jack was so passionate, and which sustained and energized his cancer fight and unwavering will to live. The family is forever grateful for the devoted friends who provided transportation and weeks of 24/7 companionship before his extended hospitalization on November 23, 2020, the compassionate and skilled medical teams at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the National Institute of Health, and those who provided prayers, phone calls, texts, and cheerful MEMES, which meant so much to Jack and buoyed him throughout his cancer journey. 

The family will receive friends on May 1, 2021 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by funeral services at Trinity Episcopal Church, Mt. Airy, NC, with simulcast at Moody Funeral Home on May 1, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. within social distancing guidelines. Graveside Masonic and Eastern Star Rites and military honors will follow the service at Oakdale Cemetery, Mt. Airy, NC. Please email marye.boggs@icloud.com for a link to Zoom services if you wish to attend virtually. 

Requests via the same email to attend the funeral in person will be honored on a first come first served basis due to COVID-19 restrictions. If there is a photograph with Jack anyone wishes to contribute to the memorial video, please email to paula@garanco.com with names, dates and place. Letters of condolence may be sent to Marye C. Boggs, 37 Meadow Drive, Harlan, KY 40831. Memorial gift suggestions are the DC Scottish Rite Foundation, memo Regenerative Medicine Program, 2800 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; Trinity Episcopal Church, P.O Box 1073, Mount Airy, NC 27030-1034, Prayer Garden and Altar Guild; Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. 1033 Long Prairie Road, Suite 5, Flower Mound, TX 75022-4230; U.S. Naval Institute Foundation 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402-9987 and any other charity of your choice. Moody Funeral Service in Mount Airy is serving the Campbell family. Online condolences may be made at www.moodyfuneralservices.com.

Moody Funeral Service, Inc.
206 West Pine Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030

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