William C. Campbell, 93, of Madison, passed away peacefully on Oct. 1, 2026.
Born in Dodgeville on Aug. 27, 1933, he was the son of Gladys (nee Olson) and William L. Campbell. His early life was spent in Hollandale, where he graduated from Barneveld High School. Bill recently celebrated his 75th High School Class reunion with three other classmates.
After high school, Bill planned on being a farmer like his father after turning down an opportunity to be a race car driver. He was renting barn space when he received his draft notice. He sold his cows and prepared to join. After numerous delays at the draft office, he enrolled at UW-Platteville and played center on the football team. The draft office finally called him up and he joined the Army in 1956. During training, he was selected to serve with the Military Police at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland. Then, with only two months left on his military commitment, he met Ginger Noble at an Army-sponsored holiday dance. When Bill moved back home, he exchanged letters with Ginger until they were reunited.
On Dec. 11, 1958, Bill married Virginia “Ginger” Noble, in Ridgeway. They resided in Madison for a short time, then moved to Burlington and called it home for 60 years. In 2021, they returned to Madison.
After Bill and Ginger were married, he worked as a large-equipment operator and then took a job at a newly-proposed airfield near Burlington. After that, he owned and operated a farm implement business and later changed careers to sell insurance.
Bill was a long-time member of the Burlington School Board, United Methodist Church, American Legion, and Toastmasters. Bill loved the outdoors and especially loved snowmobiling and snow skiing. He was a member of the Ski Patrol at Paradise Valley Ski Resort and later, at Americana Resort in Lake Geneva. He would often take his girls snowmobiling and taught them all to ski. Bill and Ginger also joined a car club where they made many dear friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia “Ginger” Campbell, parents Gladys and William L. Campbell, nephew Bob Campbell, brother Mark Campbell, and sister Betty (nee Campbell) Becker.
Bill is survived by his loving daughters Khristy (Joseph) Frieman, Karen (Josep) Tordera, and Kaye (Kirk) Kopplin; grandchildren, Margaret Frieman, Alexis Frieman, Paul Tordera-Campbell, and Campbell Kopplin; sister Alice Campbell; brother Walter (Mary) Campbell; sister-in-law Dottie Campbell; brother-in-law Dave Becker; and foreign exchange student sons, Hardy (Anja) Braun and Harry Sandell.
A visitation will be held at Schuette-Daniels Funeral Home on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. A service with military honors will follow.
Memorials can be made to Burlington United Methodist Church.
For online condolences, please visit www.danielsfamilyfuneral.com.