Ronald Campbell

1925 - 2025

News story
By Eric Taunton
Blade Staff Writer

MONROE - Ronald Campbell, Monroe County Community College's founding president known for his selflessness and being an "advocate of comprehensive community colleges," died Sunday at Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Ill. He was 99.

Mr. Campbell died due to complications with pneumonia, his son Kevin said.

Kevin Campbell remembers his father as a man who displayed humility and integrity.

"He's probably the most honest person I've ever met and has the most integrity of any person I've ever met," Kevin Campbell said.

Josh Myers, executive director of the Foundation at Monroe County Community College, the college's charitable organization, agreed.

"He understood the values of who we are and he let those guide him when he was here and then he tried to pass on that value system to those that followed him," Mr. Myers said.

Kojo Quartey, the college's current president, said Mr. Campbell helped lay the foundation for what MCCC is today.

Not only did he help establish the college when "there was nothing, nothing at all," Mr. Campbell was also instrumental in a perpetual property tax that provides critical ongoing funding for college operations and allows the community college to keep its tuition low, Mr. Quartey said.

"It took him 13 tries for him to get that," Mr. Quartey said of the passing of the tax.

Ronald Campbell was born on March 12, 1925, to Samuel and Elizabeth Campbell in Detroit.

He graduated from Fordson High School in Dearborn, Mich., around 1943, and served in the Army until 1946, Kevin Campbell said. While in the Army, Mr. Campbell served as a sergeant in the military police before joining the Army reserves as a first lieutenant from 1950 to 1956.

He married his wife, Blondelle, in 1950, who he met at his first job while working as a teacher in Dearborn schools.

After teaching in Dearborn schools for a few years, Mr. Campbell became a biology instructor at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn. He went on to become the college's vice president of instruction from 1960 to 1964.

He was then named the founding president of Monroe County Community College and was tasked with hiring administrative staff and teachers, among other challenges, Kevin Campbell said.

"He and my mother moved to Monroe," he said. "My mom had grown up in Detroit and my dad had grown up in Dearborn so moving to a smaller town like Monroe was a little bit of a change for them."

Kevin Campbell remembers the stories his father told of him of the early days of the university, he said.

His father never talked about the community college in a negative light, Kevin Campbell said. He said his dad "truly enjoyed his job."

"He used to talk about their original office that was on Front Street and that there was a train track that ran through Monroe at the time," Kevin Campbell said. "The whistle would go off when he was on the phone with people and they would wonder where the heck he was."

Mr. Campbell would go on to serve as MCCC's president for 20 years, retiring in 1985, though he stuck around for several years after, Mr. Myers said.

He helped out in different capacities including as vice chairman of the Foundation at the community college, Mr. Myers said.

"He said later, he never expected to have such a long retirement or he wouldn't have retired so early," Mr. Myers said.

Mr. Myers heard about Mr. Campbell consistently when he was a student at the community college but didn't get to know him until he started at the Foundation about 16 years ago, he said.

"He would attend everything and be a constant supporter of all the things that we were continuing to do and I absolutely remember when I came on board, we were going through a strategic planning process we do cyclically," Mr. Myers said. "Dr. Campbell stood up and was talking about, at great length, about the purpose of the institution and why we exist and the values we need to continue to stay. I very clearly remember looking over and thinking, 'Who is this elderly gentleman in this big room?'"

Mr. Myers remembers how involved Mr. Campbell was in the Foundation when he was working with him, he said.

"He was always here to just lend his voice of support, to give advice when asked but it was never imposing," Mr. Myers said.

Mr. Quartey said in the 11 years he has been president of MCCC, Mr. Campbell was always quick to offer advice and support.

"There were times when he would just pick up the phone and call me," Mr. Quartey said. "There were just times when he would commiserate with me about some of the challenges we were having. He said, 'Well, hey, it wasn't any different 55 years ago. It wasn't any different, so you're doing a good job. There's nothing wrong with what you're doing.' It's kept me going and I think this institution is better for it."

Once he retired, Mr. Campbell liked to travel the globe with his wife, his son said. The pair travelled to countries like South America, Europe, and Canada.

When he wasn't working, Mr. Campbell enjoyed woodworking and fishing, Kevin Campbell said. Mr. Campbell moved to Chicago to be closer to his son, where he lived until his death.

Mr. Campbell is survived by his son, Kevin Campbell; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date in Chicago.

The family asks any donations, in lieu of flowers, to be sent to the President Emeritus Dr. Ronald and Blondelle Campbell Endowed scholarship at Monroe County Community College at monroeccc.edu/foundation/memorials/campbell.