Barbara Campbell was born on
Labor Day, September 6, 1926, in Olney, Illinois. Her parents
were Ernest M. and Sibyl (Johnston) Campbell. Her younger sisters
were Cathryn Rogers (deceased) and Carolyn Phillips.
Barbara’s elementary and high school educations were
completed in Olney. She graduated from the Olney Township High
School in 1944. Two years earlier she had started working at the
F. W. Woolworth Company after school and on weekends; and after
graduation started working full-time as stock clerk, window
trimmer, assistant floor manager and general "handy
person." In January 1950 she resigned and entered McKendree
College, Lebanon, Illinois. She attended two years and then
transferred to Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee, where
she received her BA in 1953 and MA in 1954.Sunday School, Junior League, and youth fellowship were regular activities, and later the Wesleyan Service Guild. A friend urged her to teach in the Primary Department; another friend introduced her to the Schools of Christian Mission. Through these she learned of Christian Education as a vocation. After graduating from Scarritt College, she worked for four years at the Neidringhaus Memorial Methodist Church in Granite City, Illinois, as Director of Youth Work/Christian Education.
Barbara joined the staff of the Woman’s Division of Christian Service in October 1958 as Assistant to the Secretary of Visual Education to introduce/promote/perfect the use of slides, filmstrips and 35 mm motion pictures in the Woman’s Society and Guilds. In 1964 she became Executive Secretary of Leadership Development with primary responsibilities for the Regional and Conference Schools of Christian Mission, and leadership training events for conference officers. In 1974 she was elected Assistant General Secretary in Administration and served in that capacity until retirement in April 1995.
In addition to routine tasks, the staff work included teaching in Schools of Christian Mission, speaker/group leader at District and Conference meetings, and writing for Response magazine. In 1975 her book United Methodist Women: In the Middle of Tomorrow was released. A supplement was printed during the Centennial Celebration. Special work assignments included serving on Assembly Planning Committees, and as Program Coordinator for the Cincinnati Assembly, 1994. Other groups included: Committee of 24 (which created the design for United Methodist Women); Centennial Celebration Committee; and the Joint Working Group which created the Scarritt-Bennett Center. She was commissioned a deaconess in 1955; and has attended DOTAC (regional ) and DIAKONIA (international) deaconess assemblies.
Work-related travel included three visits to Japan; a five-country visit with leaders of church women’s groups; and a Deaconess Assembly in India. Vacation travel has included several other countries. In each, and in U.S. travel, she sought to visit the ministries and missions supported through the Women’s Division. Personal interests include history of the woman’s missionary societies; reading mysteries and biographies; open-wheel auto racing and travel.