(FREE) People of Ponca Series: Kenneth Campbell

Article and Interview by Morgan Murphy / Ponca City Monthly Intern

Jun 07, 2024

The “People of Ponca” is a limited series featuring stories of local Ponca City residents. New stories will be featured every Friday. Be sure to sign up for Ponca City Monthly Plus to get emails every time we post a new story!

Kenneth Campbell, Ponca City Library - June 5, 2024

How long have you lived in Ponca City, and where did you grow up?

I’ve lived in Ponca City for about 12 years now. I grew up in Borger, Texas, around the seventh grade. My father owned a jewelry store and portrait studio. Phillips Petroleum had a big plant there, and they went on strike. And consequently, after six months of being unable to do much business, he went bankrupt. So, in seventh grade, we moved from Borger, Texas, to Alva, Oklahoma, which is where my grandparents were. And I went to high school and college at Alva.

What would you say has been your biggest struggle in life?

I used to weigh 350 pounds, and that caused heart attacks and all kinds of problems. Right now, I'm riding my bike, going to the Rec Plex three times a week, trying to eat better, and cutting down on Dr. Peppers. That was my nemesis. I needed to get healthy because I've got grandkids, and my wife just wanted me to get healthy again. Think about the consequences if you're not healthy. You know, they're finding cures for disease, but so far, there's no cure for not being healthy. You have to eat right, take your vitamins, and be active.

Do you drive a car or just a bike?

I have an electric car—a hybrid. I also have solar panels on my house, which have a battery backup, so I have power when the power goes out. I also have an electric riding mower. I have an electric bicycle, and I have a pacemaker. I'm all electric.

What has been your greatest joy in life?

Probably my wife, my grandkids, and my kids. But you gotta have kids first, right? Yeah, we had two sons, Kelly and Carrie. Kelly lives in Philadelphia, Carrie lives west of Chicago, and Carrie has two grandkids, who usually come here in June for Camp Grandpa. So, they spent a week or two here in Ponca City. We will visit the library and do activities. My wife, Elsie, died unexpectedly in January 2022. I am finishing up a book about her based on her Facebook posts and have been keeping up her page with stories about her.