William David Campbell

Dave Campbell, who spent his life in Waco but whose impact was felt across Texas and beyond, died December 10, 2021, at his home in Waco after a brief illness. He was 96. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 17, at Austin Ave. United Methodist Church (now First Methodist Downtown). A visitation with the family will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 16, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Burial will take place at a later date at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. The legendary journalist and founder of Texas Football magazine was a past president of the Football Writers Association of America and the Texas Sports Writers Association. For many years, he was one of five sectional representatives on the Heisman Trophy voting committee. He was a recipient Football Writers Association of America Bert McGrane Award for lifetime achievement; the Jake Wade Award; the Lamar Hunt Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Headliners Club Wilbur Evans Award, among others. He was honored as a Baylor Distinguished Alumnus in 1992, and he is a member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Born March 14, 1925, to George Aubrey Campbell and Minnie Terrell Campbell of Waco, he graduated from La Vega High School and started work the following Monday as a copy boy at the Waco Tribune-Herald. He enrolled at Baylor University and planned to major in chemistry, but quickly learned that time in the lab kept him from watching and playing the sports that he loved, and he switched his major to journalism. During World War II, Dave fought in France and Germany with the 14th Armored Division of the U.S. Army, earning a Bronze Star for heroic or meritorious service. After the war, he returned to Baylor and worked nights at the Tribune-Herald. He earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in 1950. In 1949, he married Reba Lou Weaver, who also worked at the Tribune-Herald. They were married for 70 years, until her death in 2020. Dave took over as sports editor of the Tribune-Herald in 1953, a position he would hold for the next 40 years. In 1959, Dave hatched the idea at his kitchen table for a magazine devoted to football in the Lone Star State. He launched the product in 1960. The magazine was Texas Football. Though he sold the magazine in 1985, he remained the magazine's editor-in-chief for the remainder of his life. After retirement, he served as editor-in-chief of the Baylor Bear Insider. A month before his 94th birthday, he published his first book – Dave Campbell’s Favorite Texas College Football Stories. Dave is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Reba, and his parents. He is survived by his two daughters, Becky Roche and her husband, David, of Austin, and Julie Carlson and her husband, Alan, of Waco; his sister, Jo Campbell; grandchildren Campbell Roche and wife, Katie, Jackson Roche and wife, Caroline, and Derby Carlson; one great-grandchild, Lane Campbell Roche; and many nieces and nephews. Pallbearers for the service will be David Roche, Campbell Roche, Jackson Roche, Alan Carlson, Danny Weaver, and Johnny Bledsoe. Honorary pallbearers include Grant Teaff, Jim Haller, Lyndon Olson, David Barron, John McClain, Adam Hochfelder, Kim Gorum, Jerry Hill, John Werner, and Bryce Cherry. The family would like to thank Lucy’s Loving Home Care LLC, especially Lucy Lupu, little Lucy, Levi, Debbie, Julien, Mariana, Jenny, and Dominique. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame or to the Dave Campbell Endowed Scholarship in Journalism at the Baylor Line Foundation, P.O Box 2089, Waco, TX 76703 or by visiting baylorlinefoundation.com. The family invites you to share a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.