Capt. USN. Ret. Ronald Alistair Campbell (May 24, 1928 - April 19, 2026)
Capt. USN. Ret. Ronald Alistair Campbell Obituary
Wa - In Loving Memory of Ronald A. Campbell
A Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-grandfather.
Ronald Alistair Campbell of Bellevue, Washington passed away peacefully on April 19, 2026, just a month shy of his 98th birthday. Surrounded by love, Ronald departed this life in much the same way as he lived it— with grace, warmth, and devotion to his family.
Born in Tacoma, Washington on May 24, 1928, Ronald was the youngest of five siblings and was full of life from the start.
His sense of adventure and duty led him to enlist in the Marines and after two years, he was nominated to attend the United States Naval Academy. In 1952, he graduated from the USNA and began his distinguished naval career.
Ron met Vera at a classmate's wedding, and they were married in Vera's hometown of Chicago in 1957. They lived up and down the east and west coast as well as Hawaii and they raised three children and two Scottish terriers.
Ron commanded many ships, mainly LSTs and Destroyers, and served across the North Atlantic, South Pacific, East Coast and West Coast. He attended the Naval Nuclear Power Program in Idaho Falls, Idaho and earned a master’s degree in international relations while attending the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
His service took him to Vietnam, where he was the Commanding Officer of the Naval Support Facility in Cam Ranh Bay. Upon returning from Vietnam, Ronald continued his Navy service with two more sea commands on the East Coast.
He then managed the Nomination and Appointments program for the Naval Academy at the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC, and later became Director of Candidate Guidance at the Naval Academy.
Ron concluded his Navy career as Director of the NROTC unit at the University of Washington, retiring as a Captain in 1978 after 32 years of service.
Soon after retiring, Ron returned to the University of Washington and earned an MBA. He founded Hot Cell Services, a manufacturer of nuclear shielding windows, where Vera worked alongside him until their final retirement in 1997.
The next 27 years were filled with family and travel, exploring the world with Vera. They were married for 66 years until she departed in 2024.
He was the smartest person we knew, with a keen sense of humor and an endless supply of stories.
His legacy will be carried on by children Bruce with Joan, Alison and Vicki; grandchildren Caitlin and Kyle with Andrell and his cherished great granddaughters Olivia and Penelope.
Fair winds and following seas, Dad.
The Seattle Times
Published on May 17, 2026
https://obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/ronald-campbell-1093781383