George H. Campbell Jr.

1918 - 2008

George H. Campbell Jr., 89, died Wednesday, April 9, 2008.
Funeral: 1 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Euless, 1000 W. Airport Freeway. Interment: Grandview Cemetery at a later date. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home.
George was born Nov. 3, 1918, in Fort Worth. He graduated from Paschal High School and attended TCU where he was very involved in the music programs, writing and arranging varsity shows, and the marching band.
He was a loving husband, and married his college sweetheart, Nell Ann Davis in 1941. Their marriage was blessed with four children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Our daddy was a wonderful father and taught us there was great joy in both work and play. He loved our beautiful mother, and knew how blessed he had been to find her.
He was a bandleader in Fort Worth for over 50 years, and loved the people who danced to his music. He played for many of their weddings and funerals. He was a songwriter, arranger, pianist, and bandleader. He wrote the Jim Reeves country standard "Four Walls." His career took him to New York and Tin Pan Alley, and he wrote and arranged the music for the Copa Cabanna Club in 1955. Soon he decided to return to Fort Worth to raise his family and always said it was better to be a big fish in a small pond. His writing successes came after he moved back to Fort Worth.
In retirement he lived at his beloved farm near Grandview. He enjoyed playing for the Sunday schools, and sailed his boat on Lake Grapevine until he was 88.
George was preceded in death by his parents, George H. and Annie Campbell; one sister, Nadine Howell; and an infant grandson, Michael James Putrino.
We will remember him as a generous man who loved life, and lived it abundantly until Alzheimer's disease took his life. We want to thank the staff at Oak Hollow Alzheimer Care for their loving care of all of us. Also, thank you to his doctors, nurses and the wonderful people from Vitas Hospice who were there while Daddy peacefully went from this world to heaven.
Survivors: He is survived by a big, loving family, including his wife, Nell Ann; children, Gary D. Campbell and wife, Doris, Karen "Corky" Elkins and husband, Ted, Stephen Campbell and wife, Lynn, and Jan Putrino and husband, Dale; grandchildren, Sarah Campbell, Amy Cabaniss, Danny Haddad, Scott Campbell, Lauren King and David Putrino; six great-grandchildren; his sister's only child, Lynn Howell Teschner; and many wonderful brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. He loved his wife's family as his own.