David Colin Campbell

On Sunday, March 31, 2019, David Colin Campbell, passed away at Brandon Woods of Dartmouth. He was 82.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio to Colin and Helen Campbell, David received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan and his M. Div. from the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. David then moved his family to Newton, Massachusetts to pursue his Ph.D. in psychology at Boston University. He joined the faculty at B.U.’s Metropolitan College where he later became Associate Dean for Administration for Academic Development. After a rewarding 15-year career at B.U., David left to become the Director of Harvard University’s Institute for Learning in Retirement.

A passionate educator, he brought richness, depth and wisdom to his students. After retiring from collegiate education, he taught history at Georges Valley High School in Thomaston, Maine. In his last year of teaching, he was deeply honored to have the yearbook dedicated to him.
Although a man of many interests, sailing was his lifelong passion. As a skilled captain and navigator, he sailed out of Marblehead and Salem harbors, first taking the sloop Sea Urchin then the ketch Avocet on journeys from Martha’s Vineyard to Roque Island Maine near the Canadian border.
David was a talented musician (trumpet, coronet and flugelhorn), singer and a lover of a broad range of music. Always the educator, he taught his children to appreciate the finer aspects of music composition and performance. Notably, and sensing the important musical history about to be made, as a Sunday School teacher in 1964 he ended a session early with the encouragement of his class to get home in time to watch the Beatles’ debut on Ed Sullivan.

He was an adventurer, and serendipitously made friends with a skilled flyer of large winged box kites. Together, he and Ben Blinn set several altitude records while also triggering UFO sightings.

David was a gifted orator, possessed a razor-sharp wit and was a masterful storyteller. His grandchildren would be rapt by his stories stemming from both his adventures and his imagination.

He leaves a son, David Jr., and his wife Ann of Eden Prairie, MN; a daughter, Laura, and her husband, Gary Nevins of South Dartmouth, MA and six grandchildren: Michelle, Arielle, Rayna, Brynn, Travis and Gabrielle; a sister, Barbara MacPhee of New Orleans and two nephews, Cameron and Gordon MacPhee.

Private memorial services will take place this summer.
The family wishes to acknowledge and warmly thank the staffs at Brandon Woods of Dartmouth and New England Hospice for their compassionate care of David.

Arrangements placed in the care of Perry Funeral Home 111 Dartmouth ST New Bedford, MA 02740.