Darrell E. “Shorty” Campbell passed away on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at Box Butte General Hospital in Alliance.
He was born on December 5, 1946 in Alliance to William Russell and Virginia (Delsing) Campbell.
On April 4, 1970 he was united in marriage to Gay Franklin in Alliance.
Shortyism Quote “A chicken only has a head this big-even it knows when to go bed a night”
Shorty was a farmer, rancher, poker player and tremendous family man and friend. He was always quick with a joke to make you smile and had a laugh that would fill the building making the most grumpy of people smile. Shorty’s laugh would fill a room and will never be duplicated.
He and his five siblings grew up in rural Nebraska north of Hemingford and enjoyed the farming life. He attended rural school until the 8th grade. Within that time he enjoyed showing Jersey milk cows at the local 4H program and would love to tell stories of the two times that he traveled to show the milk cows in Omaha at the Aksarben, once one by train and once by a rack in the back of a truck. He went to high school at Saint Agnes, boarding there to play football and basketball. He had many stories of the nuns and his shenanigans. He then would go home in the spring to help with the farming at his family's ranch and farm. Shorty graduated from Saint Agnes in 1965. He then went to work for a local farmer/rancher by the name of Johnny Franklin and drove a beet truck. This is when he met and fell in love with the farmer's daughter in 1968, marrying Gay in 1970. Shorty and Gay then moved to Gillette, WY where he worked in the oil fields and continued his history setting stock car racing. They moved back to western Nebraska in 1972 to help with the family farm, starting his life work of ranching and farming. He then took up with Jerry Mundt to the world of custom harvest. He never knew a stranger and would never shy away from giving advice to anybody that asked for it.
Along the way, he was blessed with two children, Corey and Krista. Shorty would beam with pride whenever asked about Corey’s football career, and in later years he depended heavily on Krista to keep the cattle operation going. After both Corey and Krista brought their spouses into the family mix he was blessed with seven grandchildren who became his pride and joy. He enjoyed his family and friends, his cows and farming life, and all the places it took him. He knew no stranger in the state of Nebraska.
He is survived by his wife, Gay, son Corey with wife Brooke Campbell of Gretna, NE and daughter Krista with husband Peter Gomez of Marsland, NE, his grandchildren, Emma Gomez, Isabell Gomez, Sofia Gomez, Shaylynn Campbell, Jordyn Campbell, Draven Campbell and Chase Campbell. He is also survived by his sisters and brothers, Joanne Kresl of Hemingford, Russell (Virginia) Campbell of Alliance, Sue Nollette of Dallas, TX and Dan (Deb) Campbell of Hemingford. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Joseph, his parents and his brother, Archie.
Darrell was a member of St. Bridget Catholic Church.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Bridget Catholic Church with Father Matt Koperski officiating. Burial will be in the Hemingford Cemetery. A wake service will be Monday at 7:00 p.m. at the church. Visitation will be Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Funeral Home in Hemingford and continue at the wake service.
Memorials may be given to the Hemingford Volunteer Firefighters Association and the Sons of American Legion Scholarship fund.