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Coolidge A. Campbell © Grace Memorial Chapel 11-2011 Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
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Coolidge Campbell, longtime resident of Ponca City, passed Friday, November 25, 2011 at his home. He was 86 years of age.
Coolidge was born August 20, 1925 in Rocky, Arkansas in Freedom Township of Polk County, the son of Herbert Eugene Campbell and Kitty Adison Campbell. He was delivered by his grandfather, Dr. Cirus Anderson Campbell, the doctor for that area. He was raised in Rocky until the age of 15, when he enlisted in President Roosevelts civil redevelopment program known as the 3Csthe Civilian Conservation Corps. Coolidge was a Cat Skinner Bulldozer Operator and built the road at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. Lake Ponca was also built by the 3Cs.
Coolidge returned to Mena, Arkansas for the 10th grade and there he met Mary Lou Shirley. On his first day of school, in public speaking class, each student had to introduce the person next to them. He had to introduce Mary Lou, and she had to introduce him. She claims that he followed her down the hall after class and asked for a date. She said she had to first ask her parents, who knew his parents and grandparents his grandfather being the town doctor.
When the school term was over in the spring of 1942, Coolidge attended the Maritime Sailing School in Brooklyn, New York. When he turned 18, he was exempt from the draft due to his training. Instead, he joined the Merchant Marines. In December of 1943, he shipped out to Naples, Italy with military cargo. He was on anchorage for 1 month and made the invasion of Anzio, Italy. Four Liberty Ships participated in this invasion, and only the ship Coolidge was on made it out - the others were sunk by the Germans. Coolidge completed that voyage in 1944 and was discharged in Norfolk, Virginia. He returned to Mena for 2 weeks and was then shipped out to France, making 2 trips to Marseilles, France with military cargo.
He sailed until 1946, going to Calcutta, India on a ship called the S.S. Tulsa. Trucks and military cargo were picked up in Calcutta as well as other cargo including 400 monkeys for President Roosevelts paralysis research. The ship returned to Atlanta, Georgia and made it with 276 of the monkeys. After sailing through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf, the S.S. Tulsa was unloaded and given to the Russians.
Coolidge sailed out of Los Angeles, California on the Cape Romain and went through the Panama Canal the day Japan surrendered. He then sailed for New York and loaded cargo for Puerto Rico. Coolidge made 5 trips to Puerto Rico.
Coolidge came home to Mena and married Mary Lou Shirley on March 22, 1946. He then shipped out on the Del Monte and sailed to South America before returning to Mena to quit sailing for 2 years. In October of 1948, he shipped out on the Del Campo to South West Africa then in October of 1949, he shipped out on the Del Norte and made 11 trips to South America. On the last trip, his twin sons Alvin and Calvin were born and Coolidge returned to Mena. He worked at Campbells Grocery and on the section crew for the railroad. Eventually he was employed as a painter with Dow Chemical from 1952 to 1958. Finally, he came to Ponca City in March of 1959 to work for Conoco. Coolidge retired from Conoco in 1985.
He is survived by one daughter, Shirley Louise Nabours, of New Braunfels, Texas one son, Calvin Dennis Campbell and wife Teri, of Tulsa, Oklahoma five grandchildren, Sterling Louis Nabours III and wife, Amy, of Nashville, Tennessee, Stephen Lee Nabours and wife Stephanie, of Southwick, Mass., Shiree Lynnette Kirby and husband, Jason of New Braunfels, Texas, Michelle Eubanks of Jenks, Oklahoma and Travis Campbell and wife Mindie of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 13 great grandchildren, and one to be born in March brothers and sisters, June Vermillon, Warren and Jerry Campbell, Gladis Louise Alexander, Gene and Occo Campbell and Ann and James Forbes one sisterinlaw, Odell Watson one brotherinlaw, James Harrell Shirley.
He was preceded in death by his parents his wife, Mary Lou on September 9, 2000 one son, Alvin Campbell one brother-in-law, Eldon Watson one soninlaw, Louis Nabours.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday in the Worship Center of the First Baptist Church, Ponca City, with Rev. Jack Shamburger presiding. Interment will be in Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.
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