Hugh Campbell Jr.

Hugh Brown Campbell, Jr. CHARLOTTE - The Honorable Hugh Brown Campbell, Jr. died on Friday, September 11, 2015, at Carolinas Medical Center. A native of Charlotte, Hugh was born on February 17, 1937, the eldest child of the Honorable Hugh Brown Campbell and Thelma Welles Campbell. Hugh graduated from Myers Park High School before receiving his undergraduate degree from Davidson College in 1959 and his juris doctorate from Harvard Law School in 1962. Upon graduation from law school, Hugh served two years of active duty in the Counter Intelligence Corps of the U.S. Army. For 30 years, Hugh served proudly in the U.S. Army Reserves in a variety of positions, including Staff Judge Advocate for the 120th U.S. Army Reserve Command. During his time in the Reserves, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for devotion to duty in Mobilization Preparedness during Operation Desert Storm and received the Meritorious Service Medal twice. He retired with the rank of Colonel in 1992. In 1964, following his active duty service, Hugh returned to Charlotte, where he began his legal career as a trial lawyer. He was elected State Bar Councilor and chairman of the State Bar Ethics Committee. During his career, he represented many clients including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Broadcasting Authority (WTVI) and the AME Zion Church. He was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. From 2000-02, Hugh served as an Associate Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals in Raleigh, NC. In 2002, he returned to Mecklenburg County where he served as a District Court Judge until his retirement earlier this year. Hugh represented Mecklenburg County as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1969-1972, where he was voted "most effective" member of the Mecklenburg legislative delegation in 1972. Devoted to community service, Hugh was a faithful member and Paul Harris Fellow at the Providence Rotary Club. He actively supported the Charlotte YMCA, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Davidson College and Harvard University. At Christ Church he was a member of the vestry and taught the 5-year old's Sunday School class. A proud Scot, Hugh served as president of both the Robert Burns Society and the St. Andrews Society of the Carolinas. He was chairman of a successful bond campaign in 1974 to help found the North Carolina Zoo. He received the Order of the Hornet for his work as chairman of the bond campaign to build Charlotte Medical Center. In 2015, Governor McCrory awarded Hugh the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for a lifetime of extraordinary service to North Carolina. But his greatest accomplishment was being a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He is survived by Mary Irving Carlyle Campbell, his wife of almost 53 years; three sons, Hugh B. Campbell III and his wife, Susan, of Mount Airy; Irving Carlyle Campbell and his wife, Kim, of Williamsburg, VA; and Thomas Lenoir Campbell and his wife, Leah, of Charlotte; six grandchildren William Carlyle Campbell, Elizabeth Curtis Campbell, John Welles Campbell, Mary Louise Campbell, Grace Carlyle Campbell and Reed Austin Campbell; a sister Elizabeth "Betty" Campbell Cantey and a brother, Wilburn "Bill" Campbell both of Columbia, SC. Following a private interment, a Celebration of Life will be held at Christ Church, 1412 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28207 on Thursday, September 17, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. with a reception to follow. Memorials can be made to Trees Charlotte Foundation, c/o Foundation for the Carolinas, 220 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 or to a charity of choice. Robertson Funeral and Cremation Service is serving the family, www.throbertson.com.