Paul R. Campbell, of Harpswell, ME, formerly of Providence, RI passed away at his home on Bailey Island on Sunday, July 25th at the age of 72 after a year-long battle with ALS with his wife Susan by his side.

Paul was born in Providence on January 14, 1948, to Roland and Irene (Laliberte) Campbell. He attended Providence College where he received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in history and later obtained a Master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Rhode Island.

Paul was a born entrepreneur with many interests and a career that spanned several decades.

During the 70s and 80s he played a leadership role in neighborhood renewal in lower South Providence, the neighborhood where he spent his formative years. He advanced the cause of revitalization as President and founder of the Pine Street Inner-City Neighborhood Effort, Chairman of the Trinity Gateway Renewal Project, and Board member of Stop Wasting Abandoned Property. His lifelong commitment to historical preservation is evidenced through the numerous houses that he saved from demolition. This includes his former home on Prospect Street which was meticulously restored and featured in a segment on HGTV’s “If Walls Could Talk.”

Paul served for eight years as Director of the Rhode Island Historical Society Library and for nearly a decade worked as a policy advisor for Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. where he was responsible for establishing the Sloop Providence Foundation and the Providence Film Commission, two organizations that supported the education of Providence students, and promoted the use of Providence venues as locations for filmmakers.

In July of 2010 Paul was appointed Archivist of the City of Providence, a position he often described as his “dream job” because it combined his love of research with his passion for documenting and preserving the history of the City. Under his leadership, the archives thrived and was recognized for its service to the community when it was awarded a “Rhody Award” for historic preservation and community service. After retiring from his position as City Archivist Paul was honored by the Rhode Island Genealogical Society, through the establishment of the Paul Campbell Award for Exemplary Service to Rhode Island Genealogy by a Public Employee. The award is presented annually to an individual that provides outstanding public service to those undertaking genealogical research.

Paul was the author of several books on Rhode Island History, including an 'Illustrated History of Providence' that he co-wrote with Patrick T. Conley, and a comprehensive history of public housing in Providence. At the time of his death, Paul was working on the completion of a 20-year effort to document every silversmith and jeweler in Rhode Island before 1850 and the formation of the jewelry industry in the state. The book which became a labor of love was left unfinished at the time of his death, but a group of his colleagues along with his wife have committed to seeing the work through to completion.

Paul and his wife moved full time to Bailey Island in Maine in 2016, where they spent weekends for many years. Retirement allowed Paul to pursue his many passions, spending time working in his large vegetable garden, antiquing, fishing from the rocks, writing, chatting with folks at the General Store and enjoying quiet dinners with his wife, at home and at the numerous restaurants in the area that they frequented. They returned to Providence frequently where he remained connected to the Providence community.

Paul knew that he has a lot to offer the world, and unlike so many, he was able to live up to his potential. He viewed obstacles along the way simply as stumbling blocks that could be overcome through persistence and hard work. While his professional accomplishments leave an impressive legacy, he will be remembered most by those who knew him for the kindness, compassion, and respect that he showed to everyone he met. Despite his sometimes-hectic schedule, he was never too busy to take time to discuss an idea with a colleague or to help a friend. Paul will be missed, but his spirit and love of life lives on through everyone who was fortunate to have known and loved him.

Paul is survived by his wife, Susan Chapdelaine Campbell, a son Ian Paul Campbell of Alexandra, VA, a twin brother, Peter Campbell and his wife Karen of Lincoln, RI and his sister Francine Campbell Rossi and her husband Ernest Rossi, Jr. of Port Orange, Florida as well as six nephews and a niece.

A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 on Tuesday, August 4th at the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul in Providence, where Paul and his brother Peter were baptized and once sang in the Children’s Choir. He will be buried in the North Burial Ground in Providence, where he will be in the company of many notable Rhode Island historical figures that Paul admired including many of the silversmiths he came to know so well.

Arrangements by Skeffington Funeral Home in Providence.

Donations may be made in his memory to the ALS Association, Northern New England Chapter, 10 Ferry Street, Suite 438, Concord, NH 03301.

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