James Michael Campbell passed from this life on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 at his home in Orem, with family gathered about.

He was born to James Clayton and Helen Demos Campbell on January 19, 1946 at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo. As a young boy, Jim lived with his parents and younger siblings Merry Ann and Larry on a small farm in Mapleton.

Jim's father was killed in a car accident in 1956, and the recovering family first moved to Springville, and eventually to Baldwin Park, California. Jim was active in student government in high school, and served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1965 to 1967 in Peru and Bolivia.

Returning to BYU, Jim met Barbara Bessey and they were married March 27, 1970. They were blessed with four wonderful children—a daughter Jennifer and three sons: Jason, who passed away in March 2023, Spencer, and Clayton.

Jim was devoted to taking care of his family. He worked hard at any job necessary to support them. He was very involved in his children's sports, scouting, and other activities.

Observant, creative, and interested in everything, Jim appreciated the variety of plant and animal life in this world. He enjoyed training and racing his homing pigeons, and caring for the dogs, roses, and gardens at his home. His all-time favorite was setting up for Halloween. Barbara and Jim also enjoyed their years on Orem's Beautification Committee.

Jim was generous with his time and his means in his own creative way, always mindful of those in unfortunate circumstances. He loved to buy presents and happily shared the produce and flowers from his yard. When he was unable to serve in any other way, he made flower arrangements for church on Sundays and remembered every sister in the ward with flowers on her birthday.

His grandchildren filled his life with joy, and he delighted in sharing with them what he had learned in life as long as he could.

As a steadfast member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he was dedicated to ministering as a home teacher to many special families, teaching classes, and serving in the temple.

Jim was a master teacher and leader. As an art teacher in Provo District, he received many awards. He earned a Master's in Secondary Education and Administration, eventually becoming an assistant principal at Timpview High School. He also served as president of Utah Education Association, where he worked to decrease class size in the lower grades, and worked with the state superintendant to negotiate a grant from IBM to put the first computer labs into Utah schools.

He was an education lobbyist in the Utah Legislature for five years.

Active in Republican politics, he helped organize the Republican Educators Caucus and served as a two-time educational advisor to the National Republican Platform Committee.

Jim and Barbara traveled to many parts of this country and the world. Highlights were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in Paris, picking Clayton up from his church mission in Philadelphia with five other family members, helping Jason and Spencer with volunteer dental work in San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala, attending the dedication of the Córdoba, Argentina temple with Jason, and visiting Nauvoo with Jennifer's family and seeing Jim's third great-grandfather's land there. Jim and Barbara later served as senior missionaries in the Oregon Eugene Mission, driving Jim's signature little red Chevy truck.

Just as the African proverb says that it takes a village to raise a child, in recent years it has taken a village to keep Jim going. We are grateful for all those who have been so kind in helping us, including Hospice and caregivers. Such merciful kindness has made it possible for us to continue on until Jim was called home.

Jim's priorities were distilled in his words in May, the last time he was able to offer family prayer. His prayer was simply, "Bless our home and bless those we love."

Jim is survived by his wife Barbara Bessey Campbell, his daughter Jennifer (Barrett) Gardner, daughter-in-law Molly Campbell, sons Spencer (Sabrina) Campbell and James Clayton (Amber) Campbell, fourteen grandchildren—Carson (Sara) Gardner, Dawson Gardner; Morgan (Gary) Hardy, Marley (Kaleb) Paulsen, Caleb, Rachel, and Audrey Campbell; Payton, Spencer (S.J.), Sawyer, and Saige Campbell; Wyatt Nielsen, Cohen and Freya Campbell; and great-grandson Wesley Paulsen. He is also survived by his sister Merry Ann Chambers and brother Larry (Faye) Campbell. He is preceded in death by his parents and his son Jason, with whom he is now reunited.

There will be a viewing Friday evening September 6th from 6:00-8:00 pm at Walker Sanderson Funeral Home , 646 East 800 North, Orem, Utah. Funeral Services will be held Saturday September 7th at the LDS Church at 955 North 300 East, Orem, Utah, with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 am and the funeral at 11:00 am.