Edward B. “Ted” Campen

Edward B. "Ted" Campen died as he lived, in dignity. Perhaps because he grew up on a poor Missouri farm during the Depression, Ted treated everyone with respect, and was respected in return. He was equally at home on a freezing oil rig as he was teaching a professional class at the Petroleum Club or shooting 100 straight at the trap range. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him.

Ted was born in Canton, Missouri, in November 1925 to Margaret and Fred Campen. He had four brothers. His youngest brother, Fred, is the only surviving member of the family, who, with his family, has been of great support to Ted and his family.

Ted worked on the farm, along with doing many other jobs, until he was 17, when he joined the Merchant Marines. He sailed the world and had many adventures, including being torpedoed by the Japanese in the China sea, where he floated for four hours waiting to be rescued.

In 1948, he married Juanita May Constanz and they had one child, Linda. Ted put himself through the Missouri School of Mines and joined Schlumberger Well Services. After putting in penance on logging trucks during the '60s and '70s, he became manager of the Rocky Mountain Schlumberger Oil Services Division and lived in Newcastle, Cody, Casper, Wyoming; and finally Billings. Nita was killed in a tragic accident in 1976 and Ted remained a bachelor for 10 years until he married his present wife, Betsy. They formed an oil and gas consulting business and were still working for Great Northern Drilling Company when Ted died.

Ted will be remembered for many things: his sparkly blue eyes and ready smile, his never-ending readiness to help someone understand how to interpret oil field data, his easy way of helping amateurs without making them feel dumb and, most of all, his generosity and love to his family. One of his main interest was guns and competitive shooting; he won many trophies shooting trap and skeet. He has left a huge hole in our lives which can never be filled. How grateful we, his family and friends, are to have been able to share him as long as we did.

He is survived by his wife Betsy, with whom he just celebrated their 30th anniversary; his daughter, Linda (Joel); grandson Erik (Laura), great-grandson, Kellen; and granddaughter Mali. He will never be forgotten by his extended family, his stepchildren who loved him like a second father: Wendy (Jason), Christopher and Gordon (Kelly), and their children Grace, Whitney, Sarah, and Hunter. We were able to keep Ted at the home he loved in west Billings all through two years of disability only because of our beloved caretaker, Diane Horton. Ted loved watching the birds feed at breakfast and still laughed at the squirrels, all of whom were named Charlie.

Cremation has taken place. He will be buried in a military service in his family plot in Canton, Missouri. There will be a celebration of his life later this summer. Please bring your hard hat and a good Ted story.

Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary is assisting with arrangements.