Beryl Dean Campbell

Beryl Dean (Pickering) Campbell's (called "Byrd/Bird" by her mother, siblings and husband) spirit took flight on Monday, January, 21, 2013, from the Kingswood Health Center.

Beryl Dean was born February 15, 1920, in Richmond, Missouri, first child of Charles Pickering and Sarah Elizabeth (Sally/Sallie) (Brockman) Pickering. She attended school in Richmond and because of her ability and school population needs was skipped from first to second grade and later skipped from fourth to sixth. She was graduated from Richmond High School in May, 1936, and attended Chillicothe (MO) Business College from 9/1936 to 7/1937. While at Chillicothe, she took the Civil Service Exam. In 7/1937, her father's nephew, Ralph, one of the partners with her father, Charles (who was president) in the Pickering Coal Company, requested that she return to Richmond and manage the mine office including bookkeeping and payroll. Dean Newell of Chillicothe College encouraged her to take the job as he did not consider the final three week class required for her diploma to be essential. After three years with the coal company, she held positions in stenography and payroll with Gordon Manufacturing in Richmond as well as a position at Richmond Hospital. At the hospital, she was a receptionist, registered patients and took dictation from Dr. H. M. Griffith. From November of 1940 to September of 1943 she held positions in Kansas City, Missouri, including the Jackson, Hunter and Gould Coal Company (Bryant Building) and the Treasury Department - Division of Disbursement at the U. S. Court House.

In May, 1941, she married William "Morris" Campbell of Richmond. After Morris was inducted into the Army Air Force, she moved with him to Urbana, IL. While in Urbana, she worked at Chanute Field, from 9/1943 to 5/1944 in the Property Office of Special Purpose Motor Vehicles Department under Lt. Robert W. Frisby taking dictation from him and Capt. Robert W. Patton and compiling statistics for the Department History. Morris was eventually sent to the Pacific Theater of WWII and Beryl Dean returned to Richmond to live with her mother and await the birth of Maurica. After Morris returned from WWII, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and she worked at Sears at 1500 Cleveland as a credit interviewer 1951-1952. Morris was a teacher, school principal, elementary supervisor, and superintendent at schools in the greater Kansas City area. In 1951 they moved to Johnson County. His last 22 years of employment were spent as teacher and coordinator at Paseo and Central High Schools. During the 1950s Beryl Dean was employed part time as an Avon Sales Representative, gave birth to Charles and began managing the health care of both her mother and sister.

From 1961 to 1967, Beryl Dean was employed by the Jones Store in Prairie Village as a sales clerk. In 1967 desiring full time employment, she applied for and obtained a position with the IRS as a tax examiner. Her final ten years of employment were spent at positions at the Bannister Road complex in Kansas City, 75th and Belinder and the Olathe Naval Air Station in Johnson County. She was a frugal, careful and wise shopper whether it involved groceries, clothing, items for the home or advising her husband, brother, daughter or son in their purchases.

Beryl Dean's gift of intelligence and ability with organization, detail, numbers and general business stood her well in all employment positions and as a wife, mother, homemaker, helpful friend and avid, faithful Christian servant. It might have been one of the reasons she managed to compensate as well as she did both before and after her 2/2007 diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Beryl Dean was on the Cradle Roll of the First Baptist Church in Richmond where she attended as a child. Later, she attended with her family the First Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO, Old Mission Methodist Church in Fairway, KS, Merriam (KS) Christian Church, and Overland Park (KS) Christian Church. She and Morris became more involved at Overland Park Christian and participated in a prayer group and attended Ashrams, retreats and conferences. She took the extensive Bethel Bible Series taught at the church. She and Morris attended the World Convention Churches of Christ held in Hawaii in 1980 and the World Convention held in New Zealand in 1988 which included visiting Australia and Fiji. In 1979 she became interested and then very involved in a church which became Metro Christian Fellowship. Her interest and gift was intercessory prayer and she was a prayer team member at Metro as well as a very active attendee both at church and affiliated conferences and teaching sessions. In 1992, she enjoyed a trip to Israel. Her church activity at Metro continued after she and Morris moved to a Kingswood apartment in late 1999. For a brief time she attended Christ Triumphant Church in Lee's Summit. After her diagnosis in 2007, she moved to Kingswood Health Center and attended, appreciated and participated in Sunday services there for a majority of the time until her death. It was a blessing to have Chaplain Kathleen Danforth ministering full time at the Kingswood Community providing spiritual services and support.

Beryl Dean enjoyed travel and traveled with Morris to, among other places, Colonial Williamsburg, San Francisco, Alaska, the Panama Canal, and Great Britain. She enjoyed family gatherings, brunch with friends thoughtful shopping, parties, celebrations, and worshipping and praising the Lord.

Beryl Dean was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Doris Jean Pickering, her husband, William Morris Campbell and her brother, Chief Master Sergeant (USAF, retired), Charles Donald Pickering. She is survived by a daughter, Maurica Sue Campbell of Overland Park, Kansas, and a son, Charles Pickering Campbell of Independence, Missouri.

Thank you to the Kingswood Community both in independent living and the Health Center for their care and support. In addition, thanks to Dr. Ammar Khalifa, and Dr. Richard Arms, who attended to Beryl Dean in her final months at Kingswood. A special thanks to Dr. Joseph Allan, long time primary caregiver, to Dr. R. K. Skillman (ret.) and Dr. Arturo Giotina Quiason (geriatric psychiatrist-ret.). Gratitude also to Grace Hospice and team leader, Liz Montgomery, RN, for their care since August, 2012 and their 24 hour care and companionship the last 4 days of Beryl Dean's life.

Beryl Dean had arranged for her body to be donated to KU Medical Center. Memorial services will be held Friday, February 15, (her birthday), 2013, at 4:30 p.m. at Kingswood Community in Westminster Hall, 10000 Wornall Road, with reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to:

Overland Park Christian Church

7600 W. 75th Street

Overland Park, Kansas 66204

or

Kingswood Foundation

10000 Wornall Road

Kansas City, Missouri 64114

or

Grace Hospice

9233 Ward Parkway, Suite 201

Kansas City, Missouri 64114