Joseph A. Campbell

Fr. Joseph Campbell, age 81, of Bella Vista, Ark., died on Friday, September 9, 2016. Fr. Joe was born on December 10, 1934 to William and Amanda (LaBerge) Campbell, the youngest of seven children, and grew up on the Campbell homestead east of Grafton, N.D. Fr. Joe attended St. Aloysius Academy in Oakwood for the first eight years of school. He then went on to Nazareth Hall in St. Paul, Minn., and took his philosophy and theology studies at the St. Paul Seminary. He was ordained a priest on May 26, 1960 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oakwood. His first assignment was in nearby Grafton as assistant to Father Joseph Hylden for the summer of 1960. His first permanent assignment was in September of 1960 as assistant at St. Catherine's Church in Valley City. In July of 1963, Fr. Campbell was reassigned as assistant at Little Flower Church in Rugby. In 1964 Rugby was given Fulda (Berwick, ND) as a mission. In July of 1967, he moved to South Fargo, as assistant at St. Anthony's Church. Father Campbell became a pastor for the first time in July of 1969, serving the entire Kidder County and its three Catholic parishes of Steele, Tappen, and Lake Williams, with residency in Tappen. In June, 1978, he was reassigned as pastor at Velva, with Granville as a mission. The following June, 1979, Karlsruhe lost its resident pastor so it was then attached to Velva. He served as pastor of Hope, Page, and Finley, and then as pastor of Casselton. He served in Caruthersville, Mo., and then retired in Bella Vista, Ark. Fr. Joe is survived by sisters: Jane Osowski, Oslo, Minn.; and Alice Danielski, Warren, Minn.; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Paul and Edmond; and sisters, Annette and Blanche. Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10 a.m., September 21st at St. Stephen Catholic Church, 1300 NE J Street, Bentonville, Ark. Arrangements are under the direction of Bella Vista Funeral Home & Crematory. On-line condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.