(Originally published at uiaa.org on 1/14/22)
Alice (Curtis) Campbell, JD ’43, passed away on Dec. 23, 2021 in Westwood, Calif. She was 100.
Campbell’s name is expressly tied to the University of Illinois Alumni Association and its Alice Campbell Alumni Center. The UIAA’s corporate home was funded by a 2006 gift from Robert, ’54 BUS, and Alice Campbell, and is named in her honor. Robert preceded Alice in death in 2020.
“Alice—and of course her husband, Bob—were among the most loyal of Illini,” said Loren R. Taylor, who served as UIAA president during the Alumni Center’s funding and opening. “Their gift to name the Alice Campbell Alumni Center was but one of many signature contributions to Illinois. Alice once said, ‘We have this great alumni association, but they don’t have a home.’ Together, Bob and Alice made it happen and provided alumni with one of the finest facilities of its kind in the U.S.”
At Illinois, the Campbells provided support for the Campbell Hall for Public Telecommunications, the Alice Curtis Campbell Endowed Chair at the College of Law and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The couple helped raise funds for new bells in Altgeld Hall, provided the lead gift to establish the Michael Aiken Endowed Chair, and supported the Matthew Scholars program as well as individual scholarships.
A native of Wyoming, Ill., Alice met her husband, Bob, when the two were attending Illinois. She practiced law with a prominent firm before accepting a faculty position at the University to teach business law. Alice later served as chief counsel for the Illinois Public Aid Commission.
The Campbells moved to Los Angeles in 1964 and co-founded the Robert Campbell Company, with Alice serving as the firm’s secretary-treasurer. Alice also served as an attorney on the McCone Commission, which investigated the cause of the 1965 Watts riots. She was active with the American Cancer Association, the Assistance League and the Girl Scouts.
“Not only was Alice an astute businesswoman, but also a most gracious and caring person, with a wonderful sense of humor,” said Edward F. Ewald, executive vice president of the University of Illinois Foundation. “She was a dedicated alumna who loved the University of Illinois and served with distinction on the UIF Board of Directors. Alice and Bob have left a remarkable legacy through their magnificent philanthropy. The impact of their generosity is far-reaching and will certainly live on forever.”