Obituary for Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Larry Eugene Campbell at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home (2024)

Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Larry Eugene Campbell went to his heavenly home to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, April 12, 2024 at the age of 90.

Funeral services for Larry will be at 9:30 am Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel in Lawton.

Burial with full military honors will follow at the Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, Oklahoma.

The service may be viewed by following the livestream link at www.beckerfuneral.com or by visiting the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Facebook page.

Larry was born January 29, 1934 to Virginia Ann Blackburn Campbell and Floyd Emerson Campbell in Grant, Iowa. Larry attended his first eight years of school in Grant and then high school years in Griswold and Prescott, Iowa. Larry was baptized at the Grant Iowa Methodist Church as a young man and remained a faithful follower of Christ.

After graduating from Prescott High, he attended Barber College in Omaha, Nebraska. He worked as a barber in Serles barber shop in Hastings, Nebraska followed by service in the U. S. Army. Larry began his service April 1, 1953 by training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma as a soldier and an artillery survey man. His service took him straightaway to Korea where Larry stayed on in a survey section for eighteen months. He separated from the military in 1955 and went back to work as a barber in Hastings, Nebraska.

Larry reentered the Army in 1957 and this time saw service in Germany as a Non-Commissioned Officer in air defense artillery. Larry met the lady who was to be his bride, Marlene Schneider, and they were joined in marriage at the Lutheran church of Idar-Oberstein2, West Germany September 13, 1958. The family came back to Lawton/Fort Sill in 1960. After three years at Fort Sill Larry headed back overseas, this time going to Korea. He returned to Fort Sill in 1964 and this began a cycle of duty from Fort Sill to Vietnam to Fort Sill to Vietnam to Fort Sill again. The family established their home in Lawton, Oklahoma and remained there while Larry traveled the world as his duties took him to different places.

Military education included not only those schools common to soldiers, Basic and Advanced Individual Training but also very challenging courses such as the Seventh Army NCO Academy and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Larry’s service was recognized by the awards received during his twenty-six years in service to this nation. These include the Bronze Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal Second Award, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Good Conduct Medal with eight awards, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with six service stars, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Valorous Unit Award, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation.

Following retirement from the military, Larry worked as an agent for American Fidelity Insurance in the Lawton office. He then became a business owner, first in a joint business, JC Finance then his own business, Western Finance. He remained a resident of Lawton, active in community organizations including the Lawton and Duncan Coin Club, Boy Scouts of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, Korean War Veterans Association, and Vietnam Veterans of America. In each of these he was known for his willingness to serve not only as a member but as an officer and leader within these groups of leaders. Truly a man who was willing to serve his community.

Command Sergeant Major Campbell is survived by his wife, Marlene, his children, Kathy Wolf and husband, Mark (Virginia), Terry Campbell and wife, Cheryl (Texas), Linda Wolverton and husband, Gary (Texas) and Ty Campbell (Lawton), and his siblings Connie Bray, Carole Campbell, Jim Campbell, and Jane Hoff. He is also survived by six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Virginia and Floyd Campbell, brother, Paul Campbell, and his grandsons, Michael Campbell and Brian Wolf.

The family would like to express a heartfelt thank you to all those who helped care for Larry through this journey. We’d specifically like to thank Barbara P., Rachel H., and Austin N. with Comanche County Memorial Hospital Home Health and Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Parkinsons Foundation or a charity of your choice.