John James Campilio
On July 30, 2026, Santa Barbara lost one of its finest native sons. John Campilio was born in Santa Barbara on March 15, 1936. His parents were James and Frances (LaPointe) Campilio. John attended local schools: Jefferson Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Santa Barbara Junior High, and Santa Barbara High (SBHS).
After graduating from SBHS in 1953, John attended Notre Dame University on a Navy ROTC scholarship; there he obtained a degree in English. Upon graduation in 1957, John was commissioned into the US Navy as an Ensign officer and reported to the USS Hopewell. The Hopewell operated off the coast of Southern California, making 6-month cruises to the Western Pacific, generally Japan, with stopovers in Hawaii and Guam. John served as an officer in charge of the deck division, both in port and underway. In addition to other duties, John served Officer of the Deck during anti-submarine warfare maneuvers. He was highly respected by the officers and the crew. It was on the Hopewell where John met Roger Baldwin, his future brother-in-law AND lifelong friend.
When his Navy responsibilities were completed, John returned to Santa Barbara and enrolled in UCSB. By 1962, John had earned both a Master’s Degree in English and his teaching certificate. From 1963 to 1978, John taught at San Marcos High School and Dos Pueblos High School (DPHS). Several of his former Dos Pueblos High students became friends with John; these friendships endured for decades.
Former Students
Tracy Greene (DPHS)
I first met John Campilio in 1970 when I had him as my ninth grade English teacher. I called him JC, Mr. Campilio, or the Raven (a reference to a character in Peter S. Beagle’s novel, A Fine and Private Place). After graduation, our 4-year teacher-student relationship evolved into a wonderful friendship that would span more than 55 years. Losing John has hit me hard, and I am utterly heartbroken over his loss. One of my first memories of John was hearing him talk about one of his favorite authors, Ernest Hemingway. In retrospect, John embodied a lot of what Hemingway stood for – direct, honest, understated, passionate, and committed to living life to its fullest. John didn’t just teach Hemingway’s novels, he taught the ideas behind them: character matters, courage matters, and how we face life’s joys and hardships says more about us than anything else. He believed that good writing required honesty, and he challenged us students to think deeply, write honestly, and discover our own voices. He knew that real learning wasn’t easy, but he also knew it was worth it. Like many of Hemingway’s heroes, he understood that life isn’t always easy. Yet, he always carried himself with quiet strength, dignity, and resilience. He showed us that grace isn’t found when life is perfect – it’s found in how we respond when it isn’t. He was the most sharp-witted individual I have ever known, and it became a life goal of mine to try and keep pace with his joyful banter. Sadly, for me, he almost always got the upper hand. Whether in the classroom or in everyday life, John displayed strength and determination under pressure. He always remained a devoted, steadfast friend. He treated people with respect, and he demonstrated that true strength doesn’t need to announce itself. He had a quiet sensitivity underneath the outward persona, and he never broke a confidence. John knew education wasn’t simply about grades or tests and I can still hear him saying: “Tests don’t tap your knowledge or intellect; they only tell you what you don’t know.” John’s classroom was always about the journey of becoming curious, creative, and thought-provoking individuals. John never shied away from a good prank or playful shenanigans. When one of John’s passionate ideas took hold, he was “all in”, and you couldn’t help but get caught up in his joyful enthusiasm. John invited his students to accompany him on those journeys and we reveled in the laughter and experiences we got to share with him.
While his life has ended, every student he encouraged, every book he shared, every conversation he inspired continues his story. Teachers have a remarkable way of living on – not just in memories, but in the lives of those individuals they shaped and influenced. John had a lot of health challenges in the last few years of his life, but nothing broke him. Absolutely nothing. He was always striving to get stronger, always working to be the best version of himself, and his perseverance inspired the hell out of me. He never turned down a phone call, a FaceTime chat or an opportunity to socialize. Not once. Ever.
As Hemingway wrote, “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” Those details – the kindness he showed, the wisdom he shared, the passion he brought to teaching and to life – are why I will always want to honor him and why I will never forget him. Rest easy my dear friend, John, keep looking skyward for the kind, passionate, witty Raven bearing trinkets of love and tokens of eternal gratitude.
Susan Marshall (DPHS)
I met John Campilio in fall of 1970, when he was my teacher in ninth grade English. I had the honor of being his friend for 55 years. He was outspoken, witty, and a little intimidating at first, but I soon grew to appreciate his humor and insights into American classic writers. I had never had a teacher who spoke to the class like we were his equals (although less well read). When he critiqued my essays, his focus was razor sharp, and his comments were incisive. Throughout high school, I felt that he took me seriously, and I treasured our conversations and interactions. After high school, I had decided to major in English in college. However, I was feeling unsure and silenced by the professors and other more articulate students in my classes. He could tell that I was devastated that I’d received a C on my first college paper! Rather than correct me or commiserate, John asked me questions about the topic, encouraging me to explain and support my ideas, and leading me back to the subject when I veered off. I’ll never forget that afternoon; when I left, I understood not only why I had barely earned a C, but also that I was capable of earning an A. John was a gifted, intuitive teacher, and inspired me to become a professor of English, a job I loved. Although he was a private person, he always displayed his courage and integrity, and I knew he would continue to give me honest appraisals of my talents and choices. In spite of his health problems, he kept the twinkle in his eye. I will always be grateful that I spent a few hours with him at the end of April. Prior to our visit, I had found an old folder of my ninth-grade responses to poetry. I brought the folder with me. I reminded John he was a tough teacher, and I showed him some of his pretty devastating comments on my analysis, including: “Don’t write in cliches” “What could you mean by this?” For one analysis, I had illustrated the Emily Dickinson essay with a magazine picture of a girl in a mini skirt. He’d written in the margin, “Old Emily sure has changed a hell of a lot.” I realize now that John inspired the persona I embodied in my OWN classroom. I tried to be funny, incisive, and approachable. I will never forget John Campilio – my mentor, my model, and my friend.
Mizti Tanaka (DPHS)
In the fall semesters of 1967 and 1969, John Campilio was my English teacher. Little did I know then, my high school teacher would become my mentor, my sounding board, my friend. As an English literature student, I struggled. Fortunately, John helped me to improve. As my life continued beyond the campus of DPHS and into adulthood, John remained a steadfast part of it. I married and became a mother. One summer, I traveled to John’s log cabin in Stanley, Idaho. (John and a couple of his friends built the cabin from the ground up in 1975.)
Every summer for decades, John would spend two to three months in Stanley: fishing, working on projects, hiking, biking, and entertaining friends. He was an excellent host and tour guide. John loved having people visit him, so they could enjoy the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains.
When my travels brought me back to Santa Barbara, John always welcomed me as a houseguest. In March of this year, I celebrated John at his 90th birthday party held at Arnoldi’s Café. Celebrants included former students, former colleagues, friends, and family members. Also in attendance were some of his magnificent care helpers. Monica Buvick Little, a former student, provided us all with fake mustaches, to mock his iconic style. He loved it. No one wanted to leave. Everyone wanted to have their photo taken with him. People were important to John, and each person there had a story to share of his significance in their experience of him. John thoroughly enjoyed himself. John lived with awareness and intention. He made a difference and added much to the lives of so many people.
Santa Barbara High School
Gloria Cavallero
John Campilio, SBHS Class of 1953, will forever be considered the epitome of a true Don. John supported and attended all SBHS activities and never stopped. Baseball was his game, and he never missed a home game until very recently due to his faltering health. John was never without a Dons baseball cap. When he lost one at the hospital a few years back, a new one was dropped off. He could not be without!
In 1975, when SBHS turned 100 years old, John came forward in a different capacity. He was a Charter Member of the newly formed SBHS Alumni Association. He became an enthusiastic board member, researched history and all things SBHS, served as president of the non-profit association, and wrote the newsletter for over 20 years. John led his fellow alumni Dons through a rigorous process of having the front façade of the school and cut-stone ticket booth on Figueroa Street city landmarked, forever preserving the beauty of SBHS’s architecture. John was selected as a Distinguished Alumnus for his non-stop giving back and his commitment to SBHS and its students. John humbly accepted.
As a former teacher, John knew how classroom funding was low and programs were in need. He created the Classroom Assistance Program (CAP). John donated generously to all SBHS programs, especially The Forge (an award-winning, now 112-year-old continuous student newspaper). He started two scholarships, two of many which help young Dons continue their education – something close to his heart. Students were his priority, and, of course, John was instrumental in keeping his own class of 1953 reunions going, recruiting classmates to become involved in the SBHSAA board.
John’s tough guy, serious shell had the softest, kindest heart and a sense of humor that never stopped. SBHS was his love. When approached by a fellow Don, Jack Hufford, to help fundraise a painstaking restoration of the front and side facades, John of course was in. Together they were a team to be reckoned with, working and joking with students and alumni. His goal was always to make our Alma Mater better and more beautiful for students and alumni alike.
In 2014, John was given the ultimate honor by the SBHS Alumni Association. He was named an honoree on the Wall of Fame in the Main Hall where he walked as a student, led as ASB President and president of the alumni association, and where he continued to beautify, honor and give back to students and our school – the true definition of a SBHS Don.
Katie Jacobs
With a sparkle in his eye behind his trademark handlebar mustache, John frequently roamed the SBHS campus with his outgoing friend – Yes! – Jack Hufford. The well-known duo was constantly looking for ways to clean and improve the campus. Together they would polish handrails, steam clean gum off of the sidewalks, and generally cajole administrators, students, and teachers to keep THEIR school looking its best. Every year, he helped remember Veterans’ Days, distributing poppies in memory of those who gave their lives for our country.
John indeed bled “olive and gold.” He quietly and consistently sprinkled his gold around campus. John donated to many student causes, from many athletic teams to the band to the library to the College and Career Center. He was a key alumnus behind the renovation of Peabody Stadium, and served as a Cabinet Member to the Foundation for SBHS. He made several personal donations to the campaign and helped raise support from classmates and friends, including Pete and Gerd Jordano, Doug Allred, Ernie Zampese, and Jayne Slade. He also spearheaded the Class of 1953 donation of $50,000 to the campaign. SBHS has lost one of its (largely) unsung heroes and greatest supporters.
Fred Razo
John Campilio was, in every sense, a proud Santa Barbara High School Don. He carried that tradition not as a title, but as a way of living – with quiet confidence, integrity, grit, humility. Those qualities were simply part of who he was. I first met John through J.R. Richards, then principal of SBHS. Like J.R., John carried a deep and abiding pride in being a Don – not simply because he attended SBHS, but because he embraced the values the school has long represented: integrity, loyalty, quiet confidence, resilience, and service to others. He wore that identity with genuine pride throughout his life.
John was quiet, reserved, and direct. From the very beginning, he made it known that if a student or family needed help, he wanted to be part of the solution. There was no fanfare, no need for recognition, and little said about it. He simply did what he believed was right. It was an understated kindness that defined him far more than any words ever could.
John possessed a quiet and intuitive strength. When he spoke, it was because he had something worth saying. He listened more than he talked, and his words carried weight because they were thoughtful, sincere, and genuine. Those of us fortunate enough to know him will remember a man whose handshake meant something, whose loyalty never wavered, and whose steady presence made those around him better. His life reminds us that a person’s legacy is not measured by titles or recognition, but by the trust they earn, the friendships they keep, and the quiet difference they make in the lives of others.
To those who knew him best, John Campilio will be remembered as he lived – a proud Don, a Quiet Cowboy. He will be deeply missed, warmly remembered, and forever respected.
Friendships
Jayne Allen Slade
I met John at SBHS, and we became great friends. One of the many qualities John possessed was the ability to be an excellent leader on campus. He WAS duly elected by classmates who trusted him and believed in him. John was sophomore class president in 1950; junior class president in 1951; ASB president in 1952. As a proud Don, John was involved in many, many aspects of the SBHS scene. He was editor of The Forge (SBHS school newspaper), and he was the sports editor of the Olive and Gold (SBHS yearbook). John was also a member of the following organizations on campus: Junior Statesmen; ROTC Drill Team; House Committee; Junior Cancer Society; Scholarship Society. He was also a public information officer, a part of the student court, and an ROTC 1st Lieutenant.
Throughout his life, John’s qualities remained unchanged. He was smart, but so uncomplicated. He was honest, humble, and a man of few words. Life’s simple basic pleasures were truly enjoyed and friendships reigned for John. He also enjoyed sending postcards from faraway places such as New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Hawaii, as a civilian passenger on tanker ships. (He traveled the seas continually until the age of 78.) One of John’s foremost qualities was loyalty. He NEVER stopped visiting friends with medical issues, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles to offer support and caring. During our visits, we spent time watching football, walking at the beach, and enjoying meals. I loved John deeply, and he will be greatly missed.
Ginny Petrini
John became friends with my husband – Jerry Petrini – when they were both teaching at DPHS, many years ago. I was introduced to John in 1988, and through the years, I have been honored to have John as my friend. I saw a compassionate human who never forgot a friend. John was the type of man who would stop in on his sick and shut-in friends on a regular basis. When my husband was in declining health, John made it a point to stop by daily to visit and to make sure that I had a minute to myself. I’ll never forget his unwavering commitment to his friends. I will always have great memories of the Notre Dame football games that we all watched together. We shared many holiday dinners, Friday nights at Mulligan’s with the gang, and the weekly Sunday luncheons at our home. John was more than a friend; I considered him to be my brother. I miss him greatly.
Claudia Hardy
John and I first met at DPHS as teaching colleagues. It was during the 1980s that my husband and I often visited John in Stanley, Idaho. Our times there were spent hiking up to Goat Lake, tubing down the Salmon River, waterskiing on Red Fish Lake, and soaking in the thermal waters in Boise. In Santa Barbara, times were spent at his cabin at Figueroa Mountain, where the nonas would prepare polenta, and John would make the stew. During the later years, weekly Italian dinners would take place in Carpinteria with Chef GP and friends. Our last memorable adventure was being chauffeured, seeing the sights of Santa Barbara in a 1938 Rolls Royce. At certain stops, tourists eagerly came up to the car thinking John – with his big smile and cool hat – must be a celebrity. One thing that always stood out to my daughter (and to me) was the loyalty John showed to the people in his life. While growing up, my daughter benefitted from John’s genuine interest in what young people were doing, whether it was writing a thoughtful letter of recommendation for her or supporting her school and extracurricular activities. John gave her a deep appreciation for generosity and the quiet way of showing up for people. We will both remember John’s dry sense of humor, the twinkle in his eye, his warm smile, and his unmistakable laugh. His was a friendship we will cherish forever.
In Closing
John Campilio fulfilled his dream to continue to live in his grandparents’ home until his passing. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Natale and Ines Campiglio; his parents, James and Frances Campilio; his uncle and aunt, Natale (Campy) and Aileen Campiglio; his aunt and uncle, Mary and Eddie Workman. He is survived by sisters, Martha Osborne and Roseanne Baldwin, and by numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at McDermott-Crockett Mortuary. The service begins at 12:00 PM. A reception will follow on site: 2020 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara.
If you wish, John kindly requested he be remembered by donating to the SBHS Alumni Association. https://www.sbdonsalumni.com/donate–shop.html
The mailing address is P.O. Box 6121, Santa Barbara, CA 93160
