Obituary:Mr Tommy Campbell

He was born on November 11, 1931 to Thomas and Floranna Campbell, the eldest of five children and spent his early childhood years living above his father’s shop on Larne Main Street, then in Drains Bay for four years before the family moved to the Factory area of the town. He attended the Back Road Shool on Exchange Road until the age of 14.

Tommy started out with his brother Robert, going around collecting swill with a pony and cart to feed their pigs. He then went on to help his father who was a well-known cobbler in the town and he also delivered furniture for another local business, Buchannan’s furniture shop. After this Tommy drove a lorry for Deerpark and Ballynure Creameries.

For a few years he had a chip shop with his wife on Lower Waterloo Road and later a farm in Magheramorne. However, in the early 1960s he became a milkman, for which he will be best remembered.

On August 20, 1958, Tommy married Kathleen Marcus of Glenarm and they had four sons, one daughter and 11 grandchildren.

They first set up home in Upper Waterloo Road and later lived in Recreation Road for a few years, before moving to Upper Cairncastle Road, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Kathleen sadly passed away on February 22, 2010.

As a young boy, Tommy became a born-again Christian and was deeply involved in the work of Larne Mission Hall, which was co-founded by his father in 1942. He took over more responsibility for the work when his father passed away.

In 1975, Tommy felt God leading him to start a building fund for a mission hall in the town, as they only had rented premises at the time. Thanks to the dedication of family members and the rest of the congregation, they opened the new Larne Mission Hall building on the Old Glenarm Road in 1981.

Tommy wa s a gentleman who was well-regarded in the community, kind and helpful to all he met. He treated everyone with the same respect, regardless of their postion in life. He is fondly remembered as a Godly example by all who knew him and will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

The family would like to express their appreciation to those who made donations, in lieu of flowers, towards the recent extension to Larne Mission Hall. To date, donations total £1,705.