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BY ROZELLA HARDIN
Editorial Director
rozella.hardin@elizabethton.com
The Saturday evening car shows will begin in just a few weeks in downtown Elizabethton, but missing will be one of its most ardent supporters — Floyd Campbell, who died Jan. 15.
In fact, Campbell was one of those who got the car show started several years ago, and it was rare he missed a show. When Saturday evening came he arrived early downtown in his restored car and was among the last to leave. He was well-known to the show regulars. Many, he had helped with restoring their cars.
Campbell not only enjoyed the cars, but he enjoyed people and was friends with many of the car show regulars. He usually sported a big smile, especially when he showed off his old Mustang.
Next to old cars, he loved his family, which included a brother, Lloyd, and two sisters, Erlene Weeks and Bobbie Jean Bailey. “He was always at my house for Christmas and Thanksgiving and almost every night he and Lloyd showed up at the house for coffee and just to banter and talk. He was such a loving brother, and was so good to my kids when they were growing up,” said Erlene.
Campbell was the son of the late Choncy Butler and Flora Morgan Campbell, who were originally from Butler, but when Watauga Lake was built, they were forced to move and Stoney Creek became home.
Campbell graduated from Unaka High School and was employed at North American Rayon for 35 years — until it closed. He then went to work at Greenway Company, Bluff City.
“He was my very best friend,” said his girlfriend, Ethel Hatley. ‘I knew when Saturday night came, we were going to the car show. He had made so many friends through the car show,” she said.
Erlene laughed when she shared that Floyd and her son had graduated from vocational techical school four times. “What they did, when they heard of a class dealing with cars, be it transmissions or whatever, they enrolled and learned all they could in that particular course,” she said.
Oftentimes when he would get stumped about a particular problem, he would research it on the computer. “He didn’t stay stumped very long,” Ethel shared.
Next to cars, he loved cats. He had one of his own, Pumper Nichol, but he fed every cat in the neighborhood as well as every stray that came around. And, Ethel is still going every day to feed Campbell’s feline friends.
Many on the funeral home tribute page, shared of Campbell’s kindness and the fun person he was. Richard and Betty Tester wrote: “Floyd was a man that everyone loved when they met him. He never met a stranger and he loved to talk to everyone. He was a great person.”
Johnny Julian wrote: “Floyd was much more than a dear friend, a very special caring and loving person and he got joy from helping others.”
Ethel shared that Campbell enjoyed eating out. Among his favorite eating places were the Ridgewood, Applebee’s and Fatz. “He also like pizza and enjoyed going to Simple Blessings General Store downtown when he went to the car show on Saturday night,” Ethel shared.
She shared that every month his high school class got together to eat and fellowship. “He was always the first one there. In the summer they would sometimes have an outing at Cat Island Park. When they did, Floyd arrived early, swept the area and put tablecloths on the table.”
Both Ethel and his sister agreed that outside of cars, his main interest was his family and friends. “He didn’t watch TV much. When he did, it was one of the old shows or a western,” said Ethel.
“Floyd was my best friend. He has been a lot of help to me and a comforter,” said Ethel, who has lost almost all of her family.
“I surely am going to miss him,” said Erlene. “He always brought beets to me in the summer to pickle for him. He loved pickled beets. His other home-cooked favorites were macaroni and tomatoes and turkey and dressing,” she shared.
Come April when the car show revs up for the summer season, there will be an empty space, and Floyd Campbell’s friendly face and smile will not be seen. This year he’s enjoying the car show from above…and you can bet, he has a big smile on his face.