| Betty
Campbell is grand marshal
Idaho County Free Press Campbell was born and raised on her parents’ farm just outside of Cottonwood. She lives on the same property she grew up on, working the same land and utilizing the same outbuildings for her animals. She graduated from Prairie High School, married and moved to Montana where she had two children, a son and a daughter, Rick and Bobbi. When she divorced she moved back home to Cottonwood. “The kids and I participated in O-Mok-Sees --- it was definitely a family activity,” she said. When she met Gary Campbell, their lives fell in place as he became a father to her children and enjoyed the same things the family did with ranching and horses. He ended up being a right-hand-man to her father for 35 years, running cattle and completing additional farm and ranch work. Campbell said she grew up a tomboy, always playing outside and with the animals. “I knew I could do whatever the boys could do, and when my cousin told me on the school bus one day that he was doing something called 4-H – well, I didn’t know what it was, but I knew I wanted to try it,” she laughed. At the young age of the about 8 or 9, she took her first 4-H project – a steer -- which became the earliest of many as she joined the Keuterville club. “I had a wonderful leader and mentor in Joe Enneking,” she said. “He gave great pointers and always offered words of encouragement. He definitely inspired me.” Campbell worked starting in 1974 as the main co-leader with Marie Lerandeau with the Cottonwood Saddliers and Livestock 4-H Club. Campbell is still helps with the club, however, Tara Rowland has since taken over as the organizational leader. “We have about 52 kids in the club and they each have two to three projects,” she said. “I really try to be the kind of encouraging leader I had when I was a member of 4-H.” Campbell said she not only was able to have her own children in 4-H, but has also lead her grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Her family is a Century 4-H family. “After more than 40 years, I have seen a few generations make their way through the program,” she smiled. Her husband, Gary, died in 2014, and although she said she misses him greatly, she has not let his absence keep her from living. Her two children live close-by and she has four grandchildren and one great-grandchild, who all help her as well as keep her busy attending events, activities and programs. She also has 100 laying hens and has no problem selling the nearly 500 eggs each week. Along with this she has a large garden and orchard and has also been employed at Wells Fargo as a teller for nearly 43 years. “I like to keep busy and moving,” she smiled. She still has cattle, enjoys O-Mok-Sees and said she always looks forward to the fair. “I like to see what each child comes up with and how they perform and progress,” she said. “I have seen incredible changes in kids from the beginning of their 4-H career throughout it and I think it’s a wonderful program that helps teach responsibility and self-worth.” Campbell said the people in her life have made living in a small community worthwhile: From her parents and family and her kids and grandkids to the 4-H kids and her work family, she said she has a good life filled with good people. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” she smiled.  |
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