Richard Arthur Kampe

Born August 4, 1945, in Rockville Center, NY, he was the son of William P. Kampe and Catherine Oliverio. After graduating from Lynbrook High School, Rich was awarded a scholarship to play lacrosse at Rutgers University. He was especially proud of his time on the lacrosse field as a fleet-footed, All-American forward. Upon graduating, Rich served in the Air National Guard Reserves for four years in Roslyn, NY.

He majored in Latin American Studies, which surprisingly earned him a position as a loan officer with Chase Manhattan Bank. Chase sent him far south to São Paolo, Brazil where he worked for a year. Next, he landed two marketing positions with Colgate Palmolive—the first in Sydney, Australia and the second in Bangkok, Thailand. Upon returning to the States, he excelled in a few marketing jobs, eventually becoming the President of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Development Company in Winston-Salem, NC. It was here that he and his beloved wife of almost 46 years, Susan, raised their two sons, Jed and Adam.

A loving grandfather, father, husband, brother and friend, Rich will be remembered for his deep love of history, his effervescent personality, his uncanny ability to watch the same movies over and over again, and his insatiable appetite. When not eating or talking about food, you’d probably find him watching golf, studying the market, or buying a new car.

Rich is survived by his wife, Susan (of Charlotte); his two sons, Jed (Charlotte) and Adam (Washington, DC); his adoring grandson, Henry; and his brother, Paul (Sarasota, FL).

The family will receive friends to celebrate Rich’s life from 5 to 7 pm on Sunday, October 19 at Harry & Bryant’s Chapel in the Oaks, 500 Providence Road. The funeral service will be Monday, October 20 at 11am at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 3016 Providence Road.

For those wishing to send a memorial gift, please consider a donation in his memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Center.