Rebecca Wright Campbell

September 4, 1944 - December 7, 2019

Augusta, GA – Memorial Services for Rebecca Wright Campbell, 75, formerly Rebecca Hilton, who entered into rest December 7, 2019 at Augusta University Medical Center after a brief hospitalization will be conducted Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 from the Posey Funeral Chapel with Fr. Fredrick Rogers officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Private interment will take place in Magnolia Cemetery. Mrs. Campbell is survived by her devoted husband, Joseph P. Campbell of Augusta; five children, Kermit Youngblood (Celeste) of Winchester, VA; Emily Youngblood Tedder (Joe) of Augusta; Ann Youngblood Mulhearn (Brian) of Memphis, TN; John Youngblood (Beth) of Rome, GA; and Joshua Youngblood (Teresa) of Fayetteville, AR. She is also survived by two step-children, Nancy Campbell (Greg Digesu) of Atlanta, GA and Bill Campbell (Amy) of Alexandria, VA. Additionally, she is survived by 21 grandchildren and her brother-in-law Walton Campbell (Lynn) of Evans, GA. Born Rebecca Ann Wright on September 4, 1944 in Delhi, Louisiana, Mrs. Campbell was a proud graduate of Neville High School. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Northeast Louisiana University before beginning a 40-year career in education. A central focus of Campbell’s storied career was equity and accessibility in learning. She believed all students deserve the opportunity to learn. She began her career in the desegregation efforts in the late 1960s, volunteering for Headstart and to integrate the staff of traditionally segregated high schools, serving at Richwood High School and Carroll High School in Monroe, Louisiana. She transitioned to higher education where she was renowned for her innovative approaches to nontraditional students and settings. Serving as Chair of the Department of Humanities and Fine Arts at Aiken Technical College from 1984 until her retirement in 2010, Campbell was at the cutting edge of distance learning curriculums and adult education. In 2002, she was recognized by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education with the South Carolina Governor’s Professor of the Year award, the highest order of recognition within the state for teaching excellence. It was not uncommon for other faculty members with graduate degrees of their own to attend her lectures, particularly those in World Literature, to enjoy her compelling presentation of this material. She was also known to be an outstanding writing instructor in the art of the essay. Generations of students will remember her as a demanding and inspiring teacher who made each of them better writers and more appreciative of great literature. As a mother, grandmother, and friend, she was treasured for her keen intellect and clever conversation, often happening over the kitchen table after long hours of work. A granddaughter recalled, “She loved coffee, gossip, and flowers. She was a spicy firecracker and the wittiest person I’ve ever met.” Her walls of books- classics, fringe, encyclopedias, and history- created an intellectual playground for her children, grandchildren, and their friends where she encouraged all to find their passion and muses. A gift pianist, afternoons at her piano filled the house with a love and joy in music and the arts that inspired each of her children to pursue a similar love. A woman of many talents, friends will remember her stylishness and grace. Unknown to many was her skill as a seamstress developed over years creating fashionable dresses, custom work clothes, and costumes for family from when she was a teenager. Her children will regale all who will listen with tales of her cooking, from gumbos to world class pies and cakes. Her meringues and perfect pralines are the stuff of legend. Her banana pudding and dressing recipes are treasured family heirlooms. She was a bright light in this life. In every aspect of her life, she exemplified courage, resilience, and integrity. She is loved deeply and will be forever missed. Memorials may be made to Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN), P.O. Box 243, Stevenson, MD 21153 or www.ecan.org