Vera Louise (Swilley) Campbell

Vera Louise Campbell, nee Swilley, passed away on Saturday, December 28, 2019 in Galveston after a lengthy illness. 

Louise was born in Trinity, Texas to Vera Annie Ramey Swilley and William Caraway Swilley.  When she was a young girl, the family moved to New Willard, Texas, near Livingston.  Louise attended Livingston schools, and graduated from Livingston High School, where she was a member of the marching band.  She then attended St. Joseph's School of Nursing in Houston.  After graduation, Louise was commissioned in the U. S. Army Nurse Corps and was assigned to an Army Field Hospital attached to General Patton's 3rd Army in Western Europe.  After the end of the war in Europe, Louise remained in the Army, serving in hospitals in the Netherlands, France, and Austria.  She loved Vienna.

Louise then returned to Texas continuing her nursing education and career in Houston and then in Galveston becoming a surgical nurse at UTMB.  At the beginning of the Korean War, Louise was recalled to Army duty and stationed at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio and Beaumont Army Hospital in El Paso.

In 1955, Louise married Chesley Rountree Campbell of Galveston.  Chesley Campbell was also a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War.  The couple resided in Galveston and had two sons, David and Paul. Louise continued her surgical nursing career at UTMB as an operating room supervisor, clinic nurse, and a UTMB Nursing School instructor until her retirement in 1985.  Louise and Chesley were proud of their United States Army service in two wars, but rarely spoke of their experiences.

Louise was preceded in death by her husband Chesley Campbell, her son David Thomas Campbell, her parents, and brother Colonel George Swilley, USA.  She is survived by her son Paul, her brother-in-law Jimmy Wong, cousins Suzanne Swilley and Tony Swilley, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and their children.

The family is very grateful for the loving care provided to Louise and her family over the years by Barbara Clark, Leticia Ritell, and Tammy Epps and all the staff at The Meridian and UTMB.

Funeral services for Louise will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, January 3, 2020, at J. Levy and Termini Funeral Home, 2128 Broadway in Galveston, Reverend Susan Kennard officiating. Burial will follow immediately at the Galveston County Memorial Park in Hitchcock, Texas. 

Those wishing to make memorial contributions may make them to Special Olympics (1133 19th Street NW, Washington DC 20036); SPCA of Polk County (802 S Houston Avenue, Livingston, TX 77351); Galveston Island Humane Society (6814 Broadway, Galveston, TX 77554); or the charity of their choice.

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