Joseph Michael Campbell

Joseph Michael Campbell, known affectionately to friends and family as "Joe," brought laughter and light to the world during his vibrant 75 years. Born on October 14, 1949, in Englewood, New Jersey, Joe's journey came to a peaceful close on August 11, 2025, in Brick, New Jersey, after a valiant 18 month battle with both prostate and liver cancer.

Joe was the life of every party, and even in his final moments, his humor shined brighter than any sorrow. He carried the legacy of his late parents, Dorothy and Joseph Campbell, and his sister, Rosemary Kangas Nalley, with the same strength and character they instilled in him. Joe's laughter will echo in the hearts of his sister Della (Dee) Campbell, her partner Marian Lake, and his nephews, Todd and Jason Kangas, Jason's wife Brittany, and his great-nephews and nieces, Gavin, Matthew, Brynn, and Sara, who will continue to tell Uncle Joe's legendary stories.

A proud graduate of Ridgefield High School and Bergen Community College, Joe's work ethic was as robust as his punchlines. For many years, he served as a dedicated United States Postal Service worker, where he delivered more than just mail – his daily doses of humor became as expected as the letters and packages he carried. Retirement couldn't contain Joe's zest for life, as he spent another 20 years contributing his charm and dedication to the team at Brick Costco. He spoke fondly of his colleagues on the morning crew at the pumps.

Joe's life was a tapestry woven with the joys of simple pleasures. His love for photography turned the world into his canvas, capturing moments of nature's beauty with a click and a smile. Birds of every feather knew Joe as a kindred spirit, often posing for his lens as if they understood his passion.

Joe's creative eye captured the beauty of the world through his lens, and his photos often revealed the unexpected humor in the natural world. He was as adventurous with his hobbies as he was in life, always looking for the next great shot or the unexplored trail. His greatest joy was when on a photography trip or in a workshop with George Theodore or Cree and Tom Bol. He travelled to Alaska and Costa Rica several times in addition to Patagonia, Morocco, Norway, and the American east and west. He was at his happiest holding one of his treasured Nikon cameras.

Described by those who knew him best as funny, adventurous, and creative, Joe had the unique ability to find the humor in any situation. His jokes and pranks are the stuff of family legend, and his creative storytelling could turn even the most mundane events into epic tales.

While the curtain has closed on Joe's earthly performance, his encore will resonate forever in the memories and stories we share. So let's raise a glass, not in sorrow, but in celebration of Joseph Michael Campbell – a man who never missed a chance to make us smile. Here's to Joe, whose spirit will forever be the punchline that keeps us all laughing.

As we bid farewell to Joe, let's not dwell on the silence his departure leaves but instead fill it with the echoes of his laughter. For in every chirp of a bird, flash of a camera, and rustle of leaves, Joe's spirit lives on, reminding us to face the world with a joke on our lips and love in our hearts.

The family requests no flowers as Joe loved flowers in nature, but not in a vase!

If you would like to offer a memorial, nothing would please him more than a donation to https://baldeagles.org located in Haines, Alaska.

The American Bald Eagle Foundation

The Mission of the American Bald Eagle Foundation is conserving Bald Eagles and their habitat through empowering education and stewardship for all ages.