Hugh C. Campbell

Hugh Campbell, 101, of Glen Mills, PA, passed away on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.  He was born in 1924 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and was the youngest of ten children of Samuel and Margaret Campbell.  He entered Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia in 1942, interrupted his studies to serve in the Canadian Navy until the end of World War II, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1947.  He received a PhD degree in organic chemistry from MIT in 1951 and joined the DuPont Company as a research chemist in Niagara Falls, New York.

While there he met and married Naomi Ruppenthal, the love of his life.  He was transferred to Wilmington, Delaware in 1957.  In 1965, Hugh was transferred to DuPont’s Instrument Products Division in New Jersey and in 1970 moved to Germany to manage that division’s business in Europe.

In 1979 Hugh was transferred to Japan to manage DuPont’s Riston Products business in the Asia-Pacific region.  He and Naomi moved back to Wilmington in 1984 and he retired in 1985.  Hugh began golfing with a foursome nearly daily which lasted for about 25 years.  He volunteered at Saint Francis Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and Longwood Gardens.

At age 85 Hugh decided to try a new hobby – running.  He joined the Pike Creek Valley Running Club and competed in many USA Track and Field-sponsored races in the region.  He competed for four years and in 2012 was named Runner of the Year for the running club.  In 2012 and 2013 he won the USATF Masters Athlete of the Year award for age group 85-89.  He holds the USATF 85-89 road race records for 5km and 8km.  His newfound hobby, however, was abruptly cut short by a tumor that grew between two discs and broke his back.  He was able to walk again but his running days were over.

In 2015 Hugh and Naomi moved to Maris Grove, a retirement community in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where they made new friends and kept in touch with old ones.

Hugh was predeceased by his wife Naomi and his nine siblings Peter, Sam, Jim, Grace, Margaret, Jack, Elizabeth, Tom, and Marjorie.  He is survived by his two sons Howard and Douglas and many nieces and nephews.