Builder of early Las Vegas subdivisions dies at age 85

Hugh Robert "Bob" Campbell, a builder of some of the early subdivisions in Las Vegas, died Jan. 30 after battling pulmonary fibrosis. He was 85.

Campbell founded Sun Home Builders in 1959 and built more than 70 homes in the third phase at Las Verdes Heights, near Sahara Avenue and Arville Street. He went on to build thousands of homes across Las Vegas Valley and was past chairman of the Nevada State Contractors Board.

"He built homes for every level of income of our citizens," said Irene Porter, executive director of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association and a friend of Campbell and his wife, Mary, since the 1960s. "He built a lot of houses for entry-level and lower-income buyers, some HUD projects, and he also built custom homes."

Campbell was a smart businessman and he knew what he was doing, Porter said Friday.

When Las Vegas went through its ups and downs from 1967-69, with
25 percent of homes in North Las Vegas in foreclosure and the failure of savings and loans, Campbell diversified his business interests into companies serving the construction industry. They included Nevada Roof Truss, Southwest Insurance Co., Sun Financial Co., Sun Realty Co., C-B Enterprises and Communications Engineering.

Campbell came to Las Vegas in 1958 for his grandmother's funeral and decided to move here with his former wife, Edie, and their six children. He had $700 in his pocket.

He got a general contractor's license and bought four lots with loans from the late banker and politician Harley Harmon, near Evergreen Avenue and Upland Street, where Campbell built and sold his first four single-family homes in Las Vegas.

A year later, he formed Sun Home Builders. Longtime Las Vegas businessman Kay Bandley joined the company as a partner in 1967, a partnership that lasted more than 40 years.

Campbell was instrumental in bringing the National Association of Home Builders convention to Las Vegas for the first time in 1980 despite warnings that Las Vegas couldn't handle a major convention of that size. NAHB made Las Vegas part of its rotation and will return in January.

Gov. Richard Bryan appointed Campbell to the Nevada State Contractors Board in 1984 and reappointed him for a second term. Gov. Bob Miller reappointed him for a third term as chairman from 1991-93.

"One thing I remember about Bob, he said it like it was," Porter said. "If he didn't like something, he let you know. He was very kind and honest."

Campbell was born Feb. 24, 1926, in Minneapolis, Minn., and moved at age 10 with his family to Gary, Ind. He joined the merchant marine in 1941, lying about his age, and sailed on the SS O'Henry from Baltimore to Egypt, but he was seriously injured in 1944 when the ship was attacked on the Mediterranean Sea. Shortly thereafter, he was drafted into the Army as an infantryman and was sent to the Pacific until the end of World War II.

He was president of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association in 1968 and was a senior life director of the National Association of Home Builders.

He also served on the Clark County Safety Standards and Mediation Board, which oversaw compliance of new fire-safety regulations at local hotels after a major fire at the former MGM Grand hotel-casino in November 1980.

Campbell is survived by his wife of 31 years, Mary; children, Jeffrey Campbell, Carol Campbell and Lori Campbell, all of Las Vegas; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and sister, Mary Jo Johnson of Henderson.

A memorial service is set for 2 p.m., Friday at the Shadow Hills Church, 7811 Vegas Drive. The family requests donations be made to the American Lung Association or Nathan Adelson Hospice.

Contact reporter Hubble Smith at hsmith@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0491.