Jay Roberts Campbell

A funeral service for J. R. Campbell of Starbuck will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Immanuel Lutheran Church rural Starbuck with Don Swenson officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the Starbuck Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, rural Starbuck

Jay Roberts Campbell, of Starbuck, MN, passed away on Saturday May 2, 2026 at the age of 74 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He fought it with all his strength and determination and never complained about all he had to go through. He was amazing and loved his family deeply. Jay will be truly missed by all.

Jay was born April 25, 1952 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of John Allan Campbell and Bernadine Louise (Bramwell) Campbell. He moved with his family to Las Vegas, NV in 1959, where he attended elementary school, Garside Junior High School, Western High School, and graduated from Southern Nevada Vocational Technical Center in 1970, where his major was Aircraft Maintenance.

While living in Las Vegas he met his future bride by chance on Mt. Charleston and found they lived only a couple blocks from each other. Jay was united in marriage to Joanna Lee Cannon on November 6, 1971, at Nellis Air Force Base Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jay was not in the service, but Joanna’s dad was retired military and they were able to use the facilities.) Along with his wife Joanna, they enjoyed riding their motorcycles in the desert and camping. Jay worked for his family owned Nevada Roof Truss Co. building and delivering roof trusses. Later he worked at Hopper Steel, Lumber Sales, and Fosters Auto Truck and Marine working as a mechanic. His passion was working on anything with an engine. He became an ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician, a Master Technician in Ford, Isuzu, and Chevrolet. He loved going to school to continue his education in the auto field and business management. He was a car guy.

He moved with his wife to Hood River, Oregon, July 1981 and owned and operated Campbell’s Auto, Truck and Boat, along with a U-haul dealership until July 1987. They were blessed with two sons, Cody born in 1983 and William born in 1985, both born in Hood River, OR. He decided to close his business and go to work for Ray Schultens Ford in The Dalles, OR giving him more time with family. Later he worked closer to home at Hood River Ford Mercury in Hood River, OR, until he and his wife and sons moved to Minnesota September 1994, where they bought a farmstead south of Starbuck.

Jay began work at Gloege Chevrolet Co. in Glenwood, then to Westside Tire and Service in Benson and lastly at Mills Fleet Farm until he injured his shoulder and could no longer work as a mechanic. He later took online classes and became an Independent Insurance Adjuster and got his FFA Drone Pilot license to use for his work. He enjoyed driving all over Minnesota and South Dakota meeting new people and helping them with their claims. He even traveled to South Carolina a couple of times to work claims after major Storms struck the area. He did this for several years until battling cancer made it impossible for him to continue working.

Living in Oregon he was always involved in his son’s activities as a Little League Coach, Boy Scout Leader, and helping his sons race Radio Control Cars. He enjoyed watching his son’s play sports and fix their radio control cars. After moving to Minnesota Jay was involved in organizing two yearly radio control car races he held on his farm in one of the pole buildings. One being the Minnesota State 1/10 Scale Off Road Championships and the other a fun race called The Udder Madness Classic. He was Jay’s R/C race Park and Team Holstein Racing. When his son William started playing guitar he would attend as many of his rock shows as he could. Then he built outdoor stages and indoor stages for local talent to have a place to play. He always helped out with the rock concerts his son’s held on the farm and in the barn. The main yearly June concert was called Udderfest, which was Central Minnesota’s original Rock/Metal gathering. He was broken hearted at the death of his son Cody in March 2011 by a tragic work accident.

Jay died Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. He was 74 years old.

Jay is survived by his wife, of nearly 55 years, Joanna Lee Campbell of Starbuck, MN; Son William Jay Campbell of Starbuck, MN; Brothers John Colby Campbell (Debra Jean) of Starbuck, MN, Joseph Lee Campbell (Sandra Rena) of Las Vegas, Nevada, Jeffery Hugh Campbell and significant other Melanie Sievert of Starbuck, MN, Jerry Bramwell Campbell of Starbuck, MN; Sister Jane Mary Jackson (Robert Meeks) of Hotchkiss, Colorado; Mother-in-law Dorothy Lee Cannon of Starbuck., MN; Sister-in-law Chiyo Cannon of Leesburg, VA; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his Son Cody James Campbell; Father John Allan Campbell; Mother Bernadine Louise Campbell; Nephew Eric Bramwell Jackson; Father- in-law Lt. Col. James Cannon USAF (Retired); Brother-in-laws James Leslie Cannon and Xander Lee Cannon.

Starbuck Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements for Jay.