Doris M. Campbell

WEAVERVILLE – Doris M. Campbell, age 98, passed away Thursday, January 16, 2025, at The Greens of Weaverville. She was born September 19, 1926, in Paducah, Kentucky. She was the daughter of the late Frank and Dorothy Daumont Cooke and was also preceded in death by the father of her children, Elvin Campbell.

She grew up in Biloxi, Mississippi. As a child, she began a lifelong love affair with the beach, the sun and the ocean. Her childhood nickname was Cookie, and one of her prized possessions as a young woman was a boat with her nickname.

After graduating from Biloxi High School, she went on to receive her bachelor’s degree at the University of Louisville and then, after moving to New York City with her husband Elvin, she obtained her master’s degree at Columbia University. She loved living in New York, and was enamored with its 24/7 energy, its diversity and all the cultural amenities it offered. 

She became a schoolteacher in the late 1960s, and taught English at Massapequa High School on Long Island. After she moved to Louisville in the 1970s, she taught language arts at Male High School. In the late 1970s, she became a school psychometrist. In that position, she gave psychological exams to students to identify learning disabilities, mental illness and other challenges they faced.

Late in life, she got her PhD in psychology from Louisville’s Spalding College. She moved to the Orlando area, and in keeping with her experience helping children, she started up a practice in family and child psychology. She worked until she was 80.

Doris had an indomitable spirit and zest for life. She was a sterling example of how to live a life of meaning. She was constantly evolving while remaining true to her core values. She was a lifelong learner and cared passionately about making the world a better place for everyone. 

She loved new experiences. She took flying lessons in middle age. She explored Buddhism and transcendental meditation. She loved to travel, taking her 80-year-old mom to London and Paris in summer 1981. As she approached her 90s, she visited Yellowstone and Hawaii. 

In middle age, she took up sports. She enjoyed tennis but was agog about running. She would go on to run marathons in multiple cities and continents, including one in New Zealand at the dawn of the millennium. She ran her last 26.2-mile race in London. She was 80. She continued to run, focusing on 10Ks. Although she eventually stopped running, she lifted weights and walked on a treadmill into her 90s.

She also loved the outdoors, took up backpacking and became a member of the Sierra Club in the 1970s, remaining a member all her life.

She was a lifelong Democrat and worked a phone bank in Orlando for the 2008 election on behalf of Barack Obama. While making calls, she was called every name in the book and hung up on more times than she could count. She grinned ear to ear on the evening of Nov. 4, 2008.

As much as she loved people – she could become pals with anyone – she loved dogs. After moving to Dallas in 2019 to be near her youngest son, she started building a collection of photos she took of man’s best friend. They would be on a restaurant porch and she would spy a dog and ask the owner if it was OK to get a snap. No one declined. 

She loved becoming a grandmother three times over during the 1990s, and was awestruck when she met her great-grandson in October 2024.

She is survived by her sons, Frank Campbell and wife Sandra Smith of Saugerties, NY, Craig Campbell and wife Theresa of Durango, CO, and Keith Campbell and wife Sara of Mars Hill, NC; grandchildren, Ellen Campbell (Howard Grotts), Emily Campbell Snidal and husband Matt, and Evan Campbell (Mia Bodell); and great grandchild, Owen Snidal.

A Celebration of Life is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, April, 19, in Louisville, KY, where Doris will be laid to rest in Resthaven Memorial Park with her parents.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to UNICEF USA. Donations can be made online at www.unicefusa.org/?form=donate or can be sent to UNICEF USA, 125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038.

West Family Funeral Services is honored to be serving the Campbell family. Condolences may be offered to the family under her obituary at www.WestFamilyFuneralServices.com.