Cloyce Campbell

Cloyce Campbell, 96, of La Crosse died Thursday, August 30, 2012. Cloyce Campbell, 96, passed away on August 30, 2012 at Bethany Riverside Nursing Facility in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was born in 1916 to Edgar R. and Florence Ora (Kerwin) Campbell on their farm in Sharon Township, Iowa, the eighth of nine children. He graduated from the University of Iowa where he earned his B. S. Commerce and lettered in wrestling while working his way through college. He was married on August 21, 1940 to Florence E. Denson whom he met at the University of Iowa. After completing his M.A., he continued his graduate studies and taught at Illinois Wesleyan College until beginning service in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. Beginning as a private, he was selected for Officer Candidate School and eventually served as a captain in both European and Pacific theaters. After the war he returned to graduate studies and teaching, receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, College of Commerce in 1949. Shortly after a move to teach at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois, he was called to active duty again for service in Korea during 1951-52. He returned to Illinois College in fall 1952. He continued in the Army Reserve until his retirement at the rank of major in 1965. In 1956, he became a Professor of Economics at Wisconsin State University of La Crosse. He was chairman of the Department of Economics and Business Administration for several years and was instrumental in the development of the School of Business Administration at the University in the 1970s. He retired from UW-L in 1981. Cloyce was an avid outdoorsman, hunter, marksman and gardener never happier than when pursuing blackberries, morels, grouse, or deer. He devoted many hours to these activities throughout the Coulee Region, particularly on his farm near Mindoro, Wisconsin. In addition, he was a voracious reader of mystery stories and a constant visitor to the public library. He was a member of the La Crosse Rifle Club, the Muzzleloader Club, and a frequent competitor and winner in local and Army marksmanship matches. After retirement, he also played contract bridge in local and regional duplicate bridge tournaments. He was a long-time volunteer with the Salvation Army, including terms as president of the Advisory Board. He was a member of First Congregational Church and a long time member of the Masons. As a Mason, he was also a past president of the Firehouse Jesters and the La Crosse Shrine Club. He is survived by his wife Florence; son Roy (Laurie) of La Crosse; daughter Beth of Madison, WI; grandson Dan of Sequim, WA; granddaughter Kathy of La Crosse, and great-grandson Austyn. He was the last of his nine siblings but was fondly connected to nieces and nephews thoughout the Middle West whose regular visits were a source of stories and good times. His family and friends will miss his gracious humor and wit. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, September 5th, at 11:00 am at First Congregational Church, 2503 Main Street, La Crosse, with visitation starting at 10:00 am. The family would like to thank the staff at Bethany Riverside and all the friends who have supported him during the past few years. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Cloyce Campbell Scholarship Fund at the UW La Crosse Foundation, the Salvation Army of La Crosse, or the Shriners Hospital. The Vosseteig Funeral Home of Westby is serving the family.