Betty Jean Campbell

Betty Jean Campbell, longtime resident and business-woman in Manhattan, died Friday, March 12 of natural causes at age 95.

She was born January 30, 1926 in Wamego, KS, the daughter of Harold Augustus and Edna Hutchinson Mertz. She grew up on the family farm in Zeandale, KS, attending schools in Zeandale and Wamego. She attended Kansas State College earning a degree in Home Economics.

She married the late Forest D. Campbell on June 6, 1948. Together they operated Campbell’s Gifts at 5th and Poyntz in Manhattan for 53 years. Betty operated it alone for 20 years to age 80 after Forest’s death in 1985. She was known and loved by many in the Manhattan area for the quality and friendliness of Campbell’s Gifts and many Manhattan residents have prized objects in their homes from her store. The store was a prominent establishment, registering over a thousand brides and employing many Manhattanites. She had an extremely strong work ethic, instilled by her father’s philosophy of, if there’s a job to do, it needs to be done right. She was devoted to her friends and extended family in the Manhattan area and to her children and grandchildren across the country.

After a lifetime in the Zeandale, Wamego, and Manhattan communities and 50 years in business she was a friend to many, greeting people by name even in her decline and remembering details about their families. She was a member of PEO and was a post-graduation member of the Chi Omega sorority. She was a strong supporter of Kansas State University athletics, music and art.

She was preceded in death by her brother Harold Mertz of Zeandale. She is survived by a brother, Jake (Carole) Mertz of Topeka; two daughters, Rebecca (Craig) Price of Carmel, Indiana; and Rhonda (David) Miller of Brentwood, Tennessee; 5 grandchildren; and 7 great-grand-children.

Visitation will be from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2021 at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home.

A private interment will be in Wamego Cemetery Saturday morning. A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church of Manhattan at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2021.

Memorial funds may be contributed to the Riley County 4-H Foundation. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.