Robert Ware Campbell Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Robert Ware ‘Bobby’ Campbell, born November 14, 1932 in Galveston, TX to Robert Murphey and Grace Gardiner Campbell passed peacefully at home on April 9, 2020. He was 87. His first five years of life were spent in west Texas. When his father suddenly passed his mother took him on the steam train back to Galveston where they lived in his loving grandmother‘s boarding house. Polio was the epidemic of the times and his grandmother would take him to Colorado by train each summer to shelter him from the disease that flourished in the hot and humid Galveston weather.. He would tell how the soldiers gave up their seats for his grandmother. He never lost his love for steam engines. A bright child, encourage by his mother, Bobby was able to skip two grades in school. He found himself in Austin at the tender age of 16 attending The University of Texas. He studied to be a geologist and after graduation worked several years throughout the oil fields of Texas. When he wearied of that he moved on to what he was born for: teaching, first in Houston and then Austin. After a short time at Fulmore Middle School in Austin he spent the majority of his teaching career at McCallum High were he was beloved by many of the students. He taught science but more then that he taught life skills, especially to the members of the Rodeo Club which Bobby was the sole sponsor. Many of his students maintained a friendship with him well beyond school. Besides Bobby’s passion for trains he was an avid gardener and a horseman. He breed Quarter Horses and even raced one of his a couple of time at Manor Downs. Later in life he devotedly cared for his mother in the N. Austin home they shared with a long line of miniature poodles. He was a strong Christian man who spent much time studying scripture. He proudly lived his life as a true Southern Gentleman. God gifted Bobby many years of life. During his final years Bobby was served faithfully by a small but loving group of caregivers. A special thanks of gratitude go out to Michael Jackson, Amanda Parker and Ryder Darnell. Also a big thank you to Rev Tom Petersen who, even in his nineties, continued to pay house calls to minister to Bobby, his eager student. Many thanks go out to Dr. Michael Pellgrini who came to Bobby’s home to administer excellent healthcare services for the last years of Bobby’s life. Bobby was an only child with no survivors on his fathers side but was visited, in his later years, by some of the family on his mother’s side whose roots are in Louisiana. While Bobby did not marry or have kids of his own, he counted two of former students as friends so close he lovingly referred to them often and strongly as his sons, Reed Moore and Kevin Faske. He treated their family’s as his family. He also loved Rae Becker who was his mother’s best friend in her later years. Rae continued to call on Bobby after Grace’s passing saying she felt like Bobby was her brother. God Blessed all who he knew.

Robert Ware Campbell

November 14, 1932 - April 9, 2020