Ronald John CAMPBELL

RONALD JOHN CAMPBELL 1934 - 2020 On March 28, 2020, Ronald John Campbell of Richmond, British Columbia, 86, passed away peacefully in the presence of fam ily after a short struggle with can cer. Born on February 4, 1934, Ron is survived by his wife of 40 years, Faye Anita Margolis, his four children Leslie (Marianne), Louanne, Ruth (Al) and Stephen (Carolyn) and Faye's children, Mira (Steve) and Jeffrey (Janée) as well as grandchildren: Sydney; Con nor; Brendan; Georgia; Coleman; Rory; Lev; and Sloane. Few grandparents had as much un adorned pride and happiness as Ron when hearing the exploits, achievements and sometimes sorrows of his grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, Doug and Reginald and first wife, Shirley Campbell-Pearse of Ed monton. He was predeceased by first son Richard Coleman Camp bell (1956-1960).Ron Campbell, middle child in a family of six sons and one daughter, was born in Timmins, Ontario to parents Lloyd Campbell and Georgia Rose McLean. Lloyd was a miner and gold prospector (whose cousins discovered the Campbell Red Lake mine) and the young family spent time in Rouyn-Noranda PQ, Geraldton ON, and a log cabin in the tiny mining town of Bankfield. Ron attended Timmins High School and worked stints as a train yard engineer and Timmins police officer. In 1955, he married Shirley Latham of Timmins and they had son Ricky in 1956. Drawn to religious service, in part be cause of his admiration for his strict Baptist father, Ron decided to attend bible school to become a pastor. In January 1957 Ron and Shirley and four-month old Ricky moved to Castile, New York to at tend Elohim Bible Institute. Ron was forced to cut bible studies short in 1958 when Ricky became sick with leukemia and entered treatment at Sick Children's Hospi tal in Toronto. Unable to pursue a religious calling, Ron worked manual labor jobs in factories and on construction sites to make ends meet and eventually be came a delivery truck driver and then supervisor for the Pepsi Cola Company. Ron and Shirley had four children between 1960 and 1967, living in Etobicoke, Rexdale and Brampton, Ontario. In 1968 he got a job with the Gibson Greeting Card Company and the family moved to Winnipeg.In Winnipeg, Ron was a deacon, church leader and Sunday school teacher at Kirkfield Park Baptist Church. Always interested in left wing politics, Ron was energized by the victory of Ed Schreyer and the New Democratic Party in Man itoba in 1969, and became a worker on behalf of the NDP for several elections after that. His ad miration of social democratic prin ciples and policies was often out of step with his contemporaries in Baptist church life, but Ron was always willing to travel his own road and relished chances to dis cuss and debate, even with those who did not share his political views. After the end of his first marriage in the late 1970s, Ron met Faye Margolis and started a different chapter of his life. Be coming part of Jewish social cir cles with Faye, Ron also became an active step father to Faye's young daughter, Mira Sucharov. Ron and Faye married in 1980. Ron was promoted to Western Sales Manager with Maltby Broth ers Ltd. and Faye managed part of the British Columbia territory for the company. In the Vancou ver area, Ron and Faye owned and operated a number of busi nesses including two busy laun dromats, a popular Vancouver restaurant called "Chez Faye", a video store in Langley and Faye's fashion wholesale business. He had treasured relationships with family members living in B.C. in cluding his nieces from Shirley's side, Gloria Harman and Glenda Affleck, Glenda's husband Ian and family, brother Peter and his wife Eve, nephew Keenan Campbell and his wife Carmen as well as Faye's first husband Max Sucharov and wife Rebecca Toolan. Al though Ron was always keenly in terested in politics and social democracy, he was never able to pursue a political career and in stead became an advocate for the least powerful, often giving gen erous gifts to those that he per ceived as marginalized. Prior to his passing, Ron received several meaningful written tributes from friends that noted his, "commit ment to justice and defence of the little guy", "unwavering stance for social democracy" and "humility and utter lack of preten sion."Ron died at home, grateful for the loving care he received from Faye, and surrounded by those closest to him. He left this world at peace, content in the cul mination of a humble, honest life well lived and happy that his fami ly and friends will continue to treasure their best memories of him. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to a charity providing help for the vulnerable in your community.