Joseph Whipple Campbell

Joseph "Sonny" Whipple Campbell, Jr., 94, of Welch, died Friday, May 23, 2014 at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. He was born April 10, 1920, in Prairie Island, to Joseph and Lena (Whipple) Campbell, Sr. and attended Pipestone Indian School. During his youth he was a great baseball player. As a young man, he worked for area farmers until he was drafted into the US Army 1942. He served under General Paton as his driver and had been in combat during the Battle of the Bulge, Normandy and Omaha Beach. He was honorably discharged in 1945. For a number of years he worked for the Corps of Engineers, traveling wherever he was needed. He later did farming and construction work until he was employed at NSP, where he worked until his retirement in 1984. In October of 1997, he was united in marriage to Connie Seo. Joseph was a lifetime member of the American Legion, VFW and the Church of the Messiah. He spoke his native Dakota language and was the oldest living member of the Prairie Island Indian Community. Joseph will be remembered for his great love of John Deer Tractors.

He is survived by his wife, Connie of Welch and 2 step-sons, Chad and Joshua Ellis; two step-great-grandchildren, Tyson and Jaya Ellis and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by siblings, Hazel Wells, James, Irving and Delmar Campbell, Lucille Childs, Thomas Campbell and Anne Hughart.

Visitation will begin on Monday, May 26, at 12 p.m., with a wake service at 7 p.m. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 27, at Prairie Island Indian Community Center. Burial will be 10:30 am Wednesday, at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, meeting at assembly area 5. Arrangements handled by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel.

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Visitation

MAY 26. 12:00 PM (CDT)

Priarie Island Community Center
Welch, MN

Service

MAY 27. 10:00 AM (CDT)

Priarie Island Community Center
Welch, MN