`Pat' Campbell, 83, Dies; His Work Fed Bodies, Souls

Louis Patrick "Pat" Campbell of Seattle, a former civilian Navy administrator who founded Blessed Sacrament Church's popular Sunday Feed-In and food-basket programs, nourished souls as well as bodies, says his son.

Mr. Campbell, who also co-created Genesis House to rehabilitate drug users, saw people he had fed reclaim their health and dignity.

"He always had the urge to help his fellow man," said his son Patrick Campbell of Bothell. "He'd see a homeless person under a freeway viaduct and hurt for him.

"Most people would say, `They should do something about that.' My dad said, `We are they. We are the ones who have to do something.' "

Mr. Campbell, 83, died Wednesday (March 10) of heart failure.

Born in Seattle, he graduated from St. Martin's School in Lacey, Thurston County, and earned a bachelor's degree in political science at St. Martin's College.

He worked in Bremerton as a civilian administrator for the Navy. During World War II, while stationed locally, he directed engineering operations for the Pacific region.

After retiring at age 55, Mr. Campbell became involved with homeless programs. With a priest, the Rev. Gus Hartman, and a monk, Brother Christopher, he founded Genesis House.

In 1970, Mr. Campbell set up the St. Vincent de Paul Feed-In, providing full Sunday dinners and supplemental food for the poor at Blessed Sacrament.

"I went to one of the banquets honoring him," said his sister-in-law, Mary Campbell of Camano Island. "He was very well-known. Yet he was very self-effacing and never wanted any attention himself."

For his service he received the Jefferson Award in 1985 and the Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen Humanitarian Award in 1992. In 1995 he was named Humanitarian of the Year by Mercy Corps International.

Mr. Campbell also celebrated his Irish heritage. At the funeral Mass at 11 a.m. tomorrow, at Blessed Sacrament, 5041 Ninth Ave. N.E., Seattle, his coffin will be graced with a shamrock and green ribbon. Afterward there will be a potluck meal featuring Irish stew.

"Some of us are saying he chose to go out so his Mass could be celebrated on St. Patrick's Day," said his son Patrick. "His parents had other blood mixed with the Irish, but he claimed he was the only one of the children born with 100 percent Irish blood."

Also surviving are Mr. Campbell's wife, Carroll Campbell of Seattle; daughter, Mary Lou Williams of Seattle; sons Joseph Campbell of Vancouver, B.C., and Timothy Campbell of San Francisco; sisters Grace Eustace of Edmonds and Mary Ann Bowling of Silverdale,

Kitsap County; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Remembrances may go to the Feed-In Program at Blessed Sacrament (ZIP: 98105) or to the Providence Mount St. Vincent Foundation, 4831 35th Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA 98126.