Robert J Campbell

March 4, 1944 ~ January 11, 2024

On Thursday morning, January 11, 2024, Robert Josiah Campbell passed peacefully
into eternal rest at age 79, at Staten Island University Hospital Northshore. He gallantly
lived fully and persevered through a twenty-two year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He
was born and raised in Florence, South Carolina. He attended South Carolina State
College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. There, he pledged and
became a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated and was an active
and dedicated member of the Kappa Omicron Chapter in NY.

After college, Robert moved to New York City where he worked and retired as a clinical
chemist for Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. In New York, he met the love of his
life Marilyn Geneva Austin and married her on June 28, 1969. They relocated from
Brooklyn to reside in Staten Island where they raised their two sons, Eric and Ewonnu.

Robert was humble in spirit and kind in heart. He had an infectious personality and
loved striking up a conversation with anyone he encountered. When around him, you
often would witness him engaged in his favorite pastimes, which were sharing
information about history and rare facts, cooking delectable meals for his family while
listening to Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and several other Jazz and Blues artists, or telling
humorous stories about his beloved wife, whom he fondly named ‘The General’, and if
he showed you his empty pockets, that meant: “Go ask The General!”

Robert and Marilyn were an active couple who enjoyed world travel, camping and
outdoor activities, refereeing softball and basketball games together and spending time
with their grandchildren, family and friends.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents Robert Campbell and Irene McClain
Campbell of Florence, SC., his sister-in-law Cynthia Gray-Hardy of Bronx, NY and
Henry C. Austin of Staten Island, NY.

Robert leaves to cherish his everlasting memories: his loving and devoted wife of 54
years, Marilyn Geneva Austin Campbell; two sons: Eric Jawara Campbell (Ryscha) of
Tucson, AZ and Ewonnu Kamu Campbell (Sandra) of Bear, DE; daughter-in-law,
Tamitha Fisher Campbell of Silver Spring, MD; sister, Ruth Irene Walker of Queens,
NY; sisters and brother-in-laws: Gwendolyn Ingram, Phyllis Austin, Cheryl Headley,
Gloria Austin, Deborah Austin, Eugene Austin; grandchildren: Jordan August, Sydney
Janai, Midori Anaya, Zamair Hassan, Zacoya Iyanna, Chauncey Ewonnu Robert; and a
host of nephews, relatives, dear friends and loved ones. His legacy lives on through the
many lives he touched.