Kenneth William Campbell

Kenneth William Campbell, 83, of Hillsboro, Oregon, peacefully passed away into the presence of Jesus Christ in Hillsboro on July 10, 2025, after an extended battle with pulmonary lung disease. He was born on August 31, 1941, in Detroit, Michigan to Jean Kenneth Campbell and Anne Marie Burton, both preceding him in death. Ken’s only sibling, sister Kathy Friedman preceded him in death also. Ken was also preceded in death by his wife Karen Campbell. 

Ken is survived by his oldest son Kenneth William Campbell Jr and wife Tricia of Galt, CA; and son Kelly Ray Campbell of Maui, HI; granddaughter Brittany Bobrow and husband Robert of Stockton, CA; granddaughter Brie Campbell of Lincoln, CA; and granddaughter Malory Campbell of Lafayette, CA; great grandsons Jude and Liam Bobrow of Stockton, CA; and niece Courtney Freidman of Las Vegas, NV; step-daughter Lisa Arvey-Eckis of Silverton, OR; as well as many nieces and nephews.

After he was born, Ken experienced some travel around the US as a navy family with his parents and sister, finally settling in El Puente, Ca. It was there Ken attended California High School, graduating in 1959. Shortly after, he married Norma Miller (Mills), and began raising a family in Orange County, where Ken Jr. was born. Ken worked various jobs before the family moved to Santa Maria, CA, where Kelly was born. Ken eventually was employed at Vandenberg AFB in civil service working on the Minuteman and Titus rocket programs.

The most significant event in Ken’s life came in 1968 when he came to know and believe in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He became involved at Pine Grove Baptist Church which was just around the block from the family home on Domino Ave. He and Norma served in the AWANA program and as sponsors for the youth group. It was there he felt a call to ministry and moved the family to Salem, OR. in 1971 to attend Western Baptist Bible College. 

In Salem, they became members and very involved at Faith Baptist Church, with Ken serving as a deacon and commander of the AWANA program. One of his lasting contributions to the AWANA program at Faith Baptist was the creation of book awards that he handmade on his Shopsmith wood lathe. He also was very involved and instrumental with the construction of the education and classroom wing at Faith Baptist Church. 

Ken attended WBBC for 3 years, and during this time he worked for a few construction type companies—notably doing repairs and remodeling for State Farm and an installer for Montgomery Wards. Many kitchen counters, bathtub enclosures, metal patio covers, and vinyl siding and gutters were installed by Ken around the greater Salem area. During his time at WBBC he was part of a team that filled pulpits in the area, however the need for supporting his family and his love of construction drew him away from college and eventual ministry.

In 1972 Ken formed K&K Construction, which had an active Oregon Contractors License for over 50 years. Over the years after State Farm and Montgomery Wards, Ken worked on hundreds of projects ranging from kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels and small room additions to commercial buildings and garages. One of his greatest construction achievements were two split level homes he built in West Salem, lived in by his family and eventually sold. In his later years Ken concentrated his work in the Hillsboro/Beaverton area doing handyman work, assisting landlord turnovers, and building miles of fences. Finishing a fence during a hard winter in Hillsboro was his final project before officially retiring.

Ken was also an athlete, playing basketball in high school and later in a church league. His early love of surfing in SoCal gave way to a love of softball. While in Salem Ken was first heavily involved playing church league slow-pitch softball—getting to play with son Ken for a few seasons—before moving on to playing more competitive softball—coaching and umpiring. Ken was on the board for USSSA and ran the softball concession at the Wallace Marine Softball Complex in the early years for the city of Salem. Ken later traveled across the nation representing the USSSA and umpiring.

In 1980 Ken met and eventually married Karen Campbell and lived there in Stayton until Karen’s passing from lung cancer in 2004. He also spent many years traveling and supporting Karen’s daughter Lisa and her successful dance team.

Ken was a people person. If his activities or work didn’t involve working around or interacting with people, he wasn’t interested. Not out to make a quick buck, he was more focused on visiting with people and meeting their needs. Whether it was fixing a door handle, replacing a garbage disposal, or re-tiling a bathroom, his goal was to make people happy and meet their needs. In the end, that is what he wanted to be known for along with the longevity of his remodeling business. But above all that, Ken felt his greatest achievement in life were his two sons, of which he was so very proud.

Thank you to the wonderful caretakers at Avamere in Beaverton—Maria, Mariane, and Happiness—that cared for Ken and saw to it that his needs were being met—both physically and socially. Thank you to the ICU staff at Westside KP Hillsboro—Emily, Kyle, Heather, Brandy, Kristen, Jamie, and Dr. “O”—who made Ken’s final days as comfortable as his body could be. Ken will be interned in August at Lone Oak Cemetery in Stayton, Or. next to his late wife Karen during a small family graveside gathering.