Claire Campbell

Claire was born on February 8, 1926, in Independence, Missouri, to Clarence Eugene and Margaret Eliza (Crick) Cudworth.

Growing up an active member of the Community of Christ Church, Claire attended Graceland College before marrying her first husband, Paul Noynaert, on February 8, 1947. Together they had three children – Jeff, Chris, and Margot – in Independence, Missouri, before moving to La Porte, Texas, in 1963. Over the next decade and a half, Claire raised her children, served actively in her church, and enthusiastically volunteered at Head Start. When her youngest left for college and Claire found herself with an empty nest, she began working as a Children's Librarian at the La Porte Library. Leading Story Hour for the youngest patrons of the library would be the catalyst for Claire’s storytelling career.

Claire joined her daughter in College Station in 1977, where she worked in Texas A&M University’s College of Education and later the Animal Science Department. Throughout her time working on the campus, Claire also took classes toward her degree, proudly earning her Bachelor of Arts in English in 1988 at the age of 62, and retiring from TAMU that same year. But Texas A&M had even more to offer Claire than a job and a degree. It is also where she met her second husband, Al Campbell. They were married on November 19, 1979, and celebrated 45 fairy-tale years together before Al’s passing in December 2024.

While Claire and Al embarked upon countless adventures together, traveling around the world on Elderhostels that took them floating down the Amazon, kayaking in the deep sea, hiking up mountains, and trekking across historical landmarks, they were just as content to find the extraordinary in everyday life on Querida Ranch and later at Carriage Inn in Bryan, Texas. Their ranching days were always busy, bailing hay and selling pecans from their orchard, tending the garden, and enjoying the wildlife, as well as participating in many local organizations including Westerners, Model A Club, Texas Historical Society, and dance clubs.

An avid supporter of women in the arts and longtime member of the Texas Folklore Society, Claire made her own contribution to the field through decades of storytelling in a range of settings, including Story Fiesta in Albuquerque, the Texas Folklife Festival, the Texas Renaissance Festival, and numerous elementary schools. In later years, she extended her storytelling skills, writing numerous books from family genealogy. Knitting was another art form that brought Claire joy for much of her life. Her family benefited from her many projects, and she kept many a seaman warm with the hats and scarves she knitted for the Seamen’s Church Institute and Warm Up America.

Claire always looked for the beauty in the world, found the adventure in the simplest of tasks, saw the magic in everything around her, had a flashlight handy, and knew how to make a glass of ice water and a bowl of ice cream seem like the fanciest of feasts.

The family wishes to express their appreciation for the love, care, compassion and skill shown by the entire staff of Carriage Inn and by Hospice Brazos Valley.

Claire is survived by her three children: Jeff Noynaert, Chris (Peggy) Noynaert, and Margot (Wayne) Spiekermann; seven grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and niece, Melissa (Doyle) Hultberg. She is also survived by Al’s children: Blaine (Marci) Campbell, Flint (Carol) Campbell, and Kyle (Bun) Campbell; son-in-law, Perry Henman; 10 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Margaret Cudworth; husband, Al Campbell; brother and sister-in-law, Bernie and Ilene Cudworth; daughter-in-law, Phyllis Noynaert; ex-husband, Paul Noynaert; and Al’s daughter, Robin Henman.

A private interment will take place in Colorado. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Brazos Valley Food Bank (bvfd.org), or the Seamen’s Church Institute (seamenschurch.org).