Youth Recreation Funding Assistance

Ron Campbell was born in Moosomin, Saskatchewan December 28, 1922. He moved to Peace River as a boy with his father and mother and four siblings in 1929. When Mary McDougall, his mother, died of pneumonia in 1932, Archie, his father, was unable to care for the five children himself, and they all were sent to live and go to school from 1932 to 1937 at the St. Augustine Roman Catholic Mission, which was ten miles south of town. The children returned to live with their father in 1937. Ron attended high school at Peace River High School.

With the commencement of World War II, Ron enlisted in the RCAF in 1941. He married Peggy Campbell May 30, 1944. Following their marriage, Peggy followed Ron to Vulcan, Alberta, where Ron was posted. In 1945, Ron was posted to Vancouver, and Peggy followed him. They celebrated VE Day together in Vancouver on May 8, 1945. Following VJ Day on August 14, 1945, Ron returned to Peace River shortly before he would have shipped out for the landing on Japan.

In Peace River, Ron worked a short time for Northern Alberta Railways (NAR), Boyd’s Electric and Royal Fruit. He then worked as a salesman for Burns Foods from 1947 to 1976. They had three children, Lorne, Ken and Dixie. At the time of his death in December 1982 at age 59 Ron was working as a Peace Country Regional Recreation Coordinator with the Alberta Government.

Based upon Ron’s involvement in sports, seasons were defined by baseball and hockey. At ball games at Bear Lake Sports and Berwyn Sports events, fans watched the games from the comfort of their cars which were parked around the ball diamond. Foul balls often resulted in broken windshields. In the late 1950s, Ron led a group of ball players and volunteers in building a new ballpark adjacent to the Heart River. As the hockey players aged they graduated to old-timers hockey. In later years the family was involved in harness racing. Through his involvement in sports, Ron was well known throughout the Peace country. For many years he was a player, coach and manager with the Peace River Stampeder baseball and hockey teams as well as junior and old-timers’ hockey. In 1970 he was honored by the Town of Peace River before 700 fans with a Ron Campbell Day where he was named sportsman of the year.

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Ron Campbell is the goalie pictured above.