Alta “Jean” Campbell of Visalia, California, and formerly of King City, California, was called to her heavenly family on Monday, August 20, 2018. She was four months shy of her 98th birthday.
Jean was the eldest child born to Alma and Leo Dunbar, Sr. on December 7, 1920 in Montrose, Colorado. She attended grade school in Montrose and then the family moved to Boulder City, Nevada in 1930 where her father was involved in the construction of The Hoover Dam. Jean attended high school in Las Vegas, Nevada and after graduating attended Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado where she studied English and Music. During that time she met the love of her life Bill Campbell. They married after Bill completed his naval service during WWII.
After Jean graduated college they moved to San Francisco, California where Bill attended the San Francisco School of Mortuary Science. During that time their first son, Greg, was born. Upon completion they moved to King City, California to attend a one year internship with the Ree C. Grimm Funeral Home. It was at this time that their second son, Steve, was born.
Upon completion of his internship Jean and the family moved to Altadena, California, where Sandy was born. During this time Jean was a loving wife, mother and homemaker. She was prolific as a pianist and also had a great passion for the organ as well. In 1958 she and the family moved back to King City so that Bill could work at the Ree C. Grimm Funeral Home. It was then that she began her years as a piano teacher and cultivated her love for the game of golf where she actually accomplished a “hole in one!”
She also was deeply committed to playing the organ every Sunday at her local church. Upon Bill’s death in 1980 she became the secretary for the King City Cemetery District a job that she would maintain for 20 years. Jean continued to teach piano, play golf, and play the organ at church well into her late 80’s. She moved to Visalia in the early 2000’s to be closer to her family.
Jean loved her family and will be deeply missed by all. She is survived by her three children, Greg, Steve (Anna), Sandy (James) Hannon, nine grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, as well as her sister Lola Beardall and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by Bill, her loving husband, her parents Alma and Leo Dunbar, Sr. and her brother Leo Dunbar, Jr.
A memorial at the King City Cemetery will be announced at a later date.
