Reba Campbell

Reba Lou Weaver Campbell passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, January 5, 2020. She was 95. She loved the holiday season so it was fitting that she went to her heavenly home on the 12th day of Christmas. A Celebration of her Life will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, January 9, at Austin Ave. United Methodist Church. A graveside service for family and close friends will precede the memorial. A visitation with the family will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 8, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Reba was born on April 22, 1924, in Navasota, Texas, to Roy and Lela Weaver. She was the fourth of five children. She received her bachelor’s degree from Baylor University in 1947. She married Dave Campbell on December 9, 1950 – a marriage that lasted more than 70 years. She met Dave while both worked for the Waco Tribune-Herald. She was by his side when he conceived the idea for Texas Football magazine and for many years gave up her kitchen table for the magazine’s layout. An inspiration to women journalists, Reba refused to be relegated to writing for the society pages. She was a news reporter and feature writer for the Waco News-Tribune and Waco Tribune-Herald for 10 years and also was the Central Texas correspondent for United Press International, covering such stories as President Dwight Eisenhower’s journey through Texas. After leaving the newspaper, she was a lecturer in the Baylor journalism department and led several groups of students on trips to New York City and Washington, D. C., where they met with Walter Cronkite at CBS News and with LBJ at the White House. A dedicated, creative and tireless community volunteer, her first love was music. She was former president of the Waco Symphony Association and the Texas Association for Symphony Orchestras. In 1992, she was presented the Award of Excellence by TASO, only the third person to receive the award. In1982, the worked with the Pape Foundation to inaugurate the Pape Chamber Music Series and served as its president for four years. She also served as president of the Waco Symphony Council. Her other volunteer activities included serving as president or board member for the Brazos Forum, Friends of the Waco-McLennan County Library, Caritas, Greater Waco Council of the Arts, Waco Arts Center, YWCA. She also was active with the Waco Cotton Palace, Historic Waco Foundation, Junior Shakespeare Study Club and the Waco Mammoth Site. Her civic appointments included the Waco Charter Revision Committee, the Waco Crime Commission, the Waco Health Committee and the Waco Tourism Committee. She was an active member of Austin Ave. United Methodist Church and served as chairman of the board of trustees. In 1997, she received the Award of Excellence for Community Service from the Henry Downs Chapter of the DAR. Reba loved to travel, especially to New York City to see shows, visit museums, eat in wonderful restaurants and attend the Heisman Trophy presentation with Dave. During her life, her other favorite trips were to the Holy Land, Oberammergau for the Passion Play, the Hawaiian Islands and England. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Stanley, Nevin and Binford Weaver; her nephew, Robert Weaver; and her dearest friend, Billie Schultz. She is survived by her husband, Dave Campbell; her daughters, Becky Roche and husband, David, and Julie Carlson and her husband, Alan; grandchildren, Campbell Roche and his wife, Katie, Jackson Roche and his wife, Caroline, and Derby Carlson; her sister, Lynette Walker; her sister-in-law, Jo Campbell; and many nieces and nephews. Honorary pallbearers will be Alan Carlson, David Roche, Campbell Roche, Jackson Roche, Danny Weaver and Johnny Bledsoe. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Waco Symphony Association or the Waco Symphony Council. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.