James Scott Campbell

SCOTT CAMPBELL July 8, 1958 ~ September 17, 2017 "His generosity and giving heart will be missed by so many, as will his great sense of humor and playful spirit." James Scott Campbell passed away on September 17, 2017, at age 59 due to organ failure as a result of treatment for cancer. "Scott" was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Beverly Campbell. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Alicia Campbell; children, Todd Williams, Tricia Stevens, and Tania Olsen; grandsons, James Michael Campbell Stevens, Konnor Dorn, and Luke Stirling; and siblings, Mike Campbell, Pat Campbell, Mary Hamilton, Anne Jutila, and Sheila Ruffalo. Scott Campbell was born and raised in Bozeman, Montana, spending his childhood years on a farm. The family raised sheep and cattle, and his siblings describe Scott as "a true farm boy." Scott took that authenticity and drive to work hard, do well, and play hard when he left Montana and came to the Pacific Northwest. Arriving in Vancouver, Washington in 1985, Scott worked in industrial and construction management before moving into solid waste and recycling. For many years, he served as Governmental and Community Affairs Director for Waste Connections, and was a past 5-term president of the Washington State Recycling Association. Scott used his leadership in the field and in the community to help drive the industry forward, keeping customer and community service at the forefront. In addition to building a strong reputation in the industry and in the local business community, Scott worked hard to support local nonprofits and community agencies both personally and professionally. Through his professional position, he helped Waste Connections maintain its leading reputation as a business that supports the local community by giving generously to many local nonprofits and community initiatives. One of the projects that was closest to his heart was Waste Connections' "Christmas Promise" program, in which employees and community members would come together to build bikes for kids and deliver them to agencies serving youth in need. The joy in his heart and spirit at being able to give bikes to kids on Christmas was visible from hundreds of feet away. Even when delivering the bikes, Scott would create a parade, driving a truck full of bikes slowly through town and waving at passers-by. Scott served on numerous nonprofit boards, bringing his expertise and enthusiasm for the community to all of them. His key areas of support were youth, education, the elderly, veterans, and the environment. Some of the organizations he worked with directly were: the YMCA, SW WA Contractors Association, Parks Foundation, Veterans Therapeutic Court, The Historic Trust, NW Association of Blind Athletes, and Camas-Washougal Rotary. In his later years, Scott was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer that he fought valiantly. He was a cancer warrior, and made it known that if cancer was going to take him, he was going to give it the hardest fight it had ever seen. And he did. In early 2017, Scott decided to run for Vancouver City Council. Though he had never held any prior political office, or planned to go in that direction, he saw the need for experienced, community-minded leadership, and decided that serving in elected office would be the next step for his leadership. At that time, his cancer treatments were working well and he felt that he would be able to serve with no interruptions. His wife Alicia remembers asking him about the possibility that the treatments might stop being effective, or worse. "That's no reason not to run.," Scott reasoned. "We are all here for a limited amount of time, and we aren't the ones who get to decide how long that is." Scott's hobbies were cars, trucks, and celebrating a good life with family and friends. His hearty laugh and warm spirit were contagious, and he worked diligently to be sure that everyone around him was having the best time possible. A public memorial will be held on Sunday, October 29 at 2 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel in Vancouver, Washington. All members of the public are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations in Scott's name may be made to: National Cancer Foundation and the J. Scott Campbell Foundation at the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington. Please sign his guest book at: www.columbian.com/obits.

James Scott Campbell

July 8, 1958 - September 17, 2017