Lawrence Campbell

Lawrence (Larry) James Campbell was born to Loretta and Peter Campbell on February 11, 1940 in Marysville, California. He was the second eldest of 5 children: J. Frank, Joan, Kenneth, and William. The family lived in California and North Dakota, finally settling in Butte, Montana, where Larry spent his formative years. He graduated from Butte Central Catholic High School in 1957. The Campbell's were devout Catholics, which set the foundation for Larry's strong faith and devotion to the Catholic Church. He left Montana in 1958 on a bus bound for Los Angeles, CA, where he began his studies at Los Angeles City College (LACC) to pursue his dream of becoming an architect. Larry joined the Newman Club at LACC and met many life-long friends, including Lynda Pellettierri. He and Lynda married in 1961. Their first child, Christina, was born in 1962; three years later, Timothy came into the world. Fifteen years later his second daughter, Erin, was born. He continued to study architecture and transferred to University of Southern California (USC), while working as a draftsman for Frank Burke. Because of Larry's drafting experience and formal education, he was able to pass the architecture licensing board test and began work for Bechtel Corporation in Los Angeles. As a result of Larry's focus, determination and expertise, he was highly regarded and respected by his colleagues at Bechtel. He eventually was promoted to lead architect and oversaw many projects in California and across the nation. He also designed homes and other structures for friends, family and others who learned of his architectural abilities. After purchasing his first home in Los Angeles, he devoted much time and energy to remodeling and redesigning both the interior and exterior. Larry enjoyed life, friends, socializing, and traveling. Some of the happiest family memories were made during these getaways. He also was the anchor for other family members who came to Los Angeles from Montana and other parts of California, and was committed to ensuring that his family was connected through reunions and gatherings. Larry was also known for his love of sports and physical activities including running, biking, golfing, skiing, and basketball. He was coach for both Christina and Tim's basketball team. Though Larry and Lynda divorced in 1987, he valued time spent with his children and other family members. He subsequently moved to Huntington Beach and then to San Clemente. Throughout these life events, he continued to focus on his career and seek out opportunities for professional growth. He accepted a position as project manager in Bangkok, Thailand, where he developed a love for Thai food and culture as well as for his future bride, Kittiya Kittipanprayoon. They were married 1993 and in 1994, his third daughter, Erica, was born. After accepting another job opportunity as a project manager in Egypt in 1997, the family relocated to Cairo, Egypt. Three years later Larry's fourth daughter, Monica, was born. Her birth was unique in that Larry delivered her in the car in front of a Cairo hospital. During Larry's years abroad, he traveled to many countries including China, Philippines, England, Greece, Singapore, Germany, Canada, Belgium, and Burma, but in 2001 he retired and brought his family back to Paradise, California In retirement, Larry enjoyed watching his youngest daughters grow, working outdoors, and involving himself with the Catholic Church. He joined the Knights of Columbus and volunteered many hours to projects aimed at supporting the church and the community of Paradise. He became an invested member of Saint Thomas More Society where he made many new and valued friendships. Larry relished time with his wife, family and friends, including his eldest children, Christina and Tim, who had also moved north to Chico, CA. His devotion to family triggered a new passion - genealogy. He spent countless hours researching his extended family members, collecting documents, traveling to meet newly discovered family members, and building his family tree. He visited Ireland, the country of his maternal grandparents, where he conducted extensive research, adding considerably to his knowledge of the Morris family. Larry also discovered another new passion in retirement- olives! He and Kitty spent hours planting, picking, and preparing the orchard on his Calernbar property in Paradise. He loved seeing the trees grow, fruit, and had hopes of turning the olives into oil. On November 13, 2018, Larry suffered a massive stroke. During his last days, he was surrounded and visited by his family and loved ones. They shared stories of his life, sang to him, listened to music, and prayed. He didn't spend a moment alone. His last breath was taken at 7:45 p.m. on November 20, 2018 with his wife, Kitty, by his side. In 2017 Larry endured a great loss when his beloved son, Timothy, passed away. Larry will join Tim along with his parents, in their final resting place. Larry is survived by his wife, Kitty; his two brothers, Ken and Bill; his children, Christina, Erin, Erica, and Monica; and his grandchildren, Jared, Kyle, and Liam.