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I (Marty Grant) am a grandson of Alva and Gertrude Campbell.
Alva Gabriel Campbell was born 29 Oct 1916 in Marion County, SC, probably in or near Mullins in Reaves Township. It is also possible he was born in Marion town, or nearby. My Aunt Marie told me that he (Alva) was named for his two grandfathers. That would be Spencer Alva Campbell and Gabriel E. Edwards.
Alva is a son of Willie Spencer Campbell and Henrietta Edwards. This was common knowledge in the family, and is also proven by the 1920 census, and by Alva's death certificate.
The family moved from the Mullins area to the Marion area before 1920, perhaps even before Alva was born in 1916. This wasn't really that far away, just a couple of miles.
Alva was just 18 years old when his father Willie died in 1935. His youngest sibling was just 8 years old.
Alva served in the U.S. Army for World War II and served in Europe. I don't have the details of his service yet.
Alva returned home after the War and soon married Gertrude Turner on 6 Nov 1948 in Marion Co, SC.
Gertrude Turner was born 1 Feb 1919 near Mullins in Marion Co, SC. She was a daughter of Thomas Lide Turner and Zadie Idell Watson. Gertrude was a twin to sister Gladys Turner. There were three sets of twins in the family. They were the oldest set, but not the oldest children, having two older siblings. Her parents names are known from general family knowledge, and is also proven by the 1920 census, and by Gertrude's death certificate.
Gertrude's family resided just east of the Town of Mullins. After she and Alva married, they lived at Route 2, Mullins for many years, moving to Marion sometime in the late 1960's, I believe. In Marion, they lived at 412 McEachern Heights. I remember visiting there quite often as a child. That was their residence until death for both of them.
Alva worked for many years in the Textile Industry, and Gertrude was a Home Maker.
They were faithful members of the Church of God in Marion. Both were saved, and gave Glory to God. I remember going to church with them a few times while I was small, and I remember how Alva would lead us in Bible readings and how he would lead us all in prayer each night before going to bed.
Gertrude suffered a series of strokes while in her 40's. She was paralyzed on one side, but still managed to get around a good bit. It may have slowed her down somewhat, but did not stop her. Every time we would visit, I recall her cooking excellent meals for us, and there was always a cake or something sweet in the kitchen that she had just made.
On 17 Jul 1973, Gertrude died suddenly at the age 54 at Palmetto General Hospital in Marion. Her official cause of death (as on the death certificate) was "Fever of undetermined etiology".
Gertrude was buried at Devotion Gardens Cemetery between Marion and Mullins. She and Alva share a flat Bronze marker that says for her "Gertrude T. Campbell 1 Feb 1919 - 17 Jul 1973".
Alva continued at home with his youngest sons with him. Finally he married a family friend from Church, who was also widowed. Daisy Bell Cooper (widow of Liston Huggins) and Alva were married in Marion, at the Church of God on 4 Mar 1976. Daisy was a daughter of Archie Cooper and Alice Shelly. Daisy and her first husband had several children as well, all of them grown by the time she and Alva married.
In 1980, Alva was diagnosed with Leukemia, and went through a terrible ordeal. He suffered greatly, but he trusted in God, and now he is with Him, finally succumbing on 23 Sep 1980. He died at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Columbia, Richland County, SC.
Alva is buried beside Gertrude at Devotion Gardens Cemetery between Marion and Mullins. His marker was done incorrectly by the Veterans Administration, and for some reason, has never been fixed. It reads "Alva Bagriel Campbell 1916 - 1980 Cpl, US Army WWII". His middle name should say "Gabriel" instead of "Bagriel".
Alva and Gertrude raised five children. All are living, married with children, and generally doing well. I'll not provide any family details in order to protect their privacy.
Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list):
No register report for this family to protect privacy.
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