John Paul Campana, a long-time member of the Lycoming Law Association,dDied April 12, 2006. He was remembered in an enbanc session of the Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas.

Read the memorial resolutions:

In The Court Of Common Pleas Of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

IN THE MATTER OF THE DEATH OF JOHN CAMPANA, ESQUIRE

RESOLUTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

TO THE HONORABLE JUDGES OF THE COURT:

The Committee appointed by your Honorable Court to prepare resolutions concerning the death of John P. Campana reports as follows:

John P. Campana was born in Williamsport on November 14, 1919. He was the son of Potito and Luigia Pittaniello Campana.

John attended St. Josephs Elementary School and Curtin Junior High School. He graduated from Williamsport High School in the Class of 1937, a class which John himself referred to as special because five members became admitted to the Bar of Lycoming County. After high school, John attended Drexel Institute of Technology, now Drexel University, and graduated from Mansfield State Teacher’s College, now Mansfield University, in 1943. His education was interrupted by World War II. John graduated from George Washington University Law School in 1952 with an LLB degree. His career was then again interrupted by the Korean Conflict.

John was drafted into the United States Army during World War II and served as an enlisted man in the Asiatic Pacific Theater. He became a part of the counter-intelligence services. Following the surrender of Japan, John served in the occupation forces in Sendai, a city on one of the northern islands of Japan. While in Sendai, John spent personal time assisting in an orphanage for Japanese children run by French nuns and was later commended for that service.

After being released from active duty, John remained in the United States Army Reserve. He was again called to active duty during the Korean Conflict. This second tour of active duty began the week following John’s graduation from law school and continued for fifteen months, most of which was served at Fort Meade, Maryland. After being released from this second tour of active duty, John continued to serve in the United States Army Reserve and eventually retired as a Captain in 1985.

John was admitted to the Court of Common Pleas of Lycoming County on February 14, 1954, and to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on January 2, 1955. He was also admitted to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in 1955 and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 1956.

John’s preceptor was Honorable Charles F. Greevy. John served his preceptorship as Judge Greevy’s pro bono law clerk and considered that service a valuable experience in his development as a lawyer. John also served as Assistant District Attorney under George Hess from 1956 to 1959 and as Williamsport City Solicitor from 1968 to 1972.

During his career, John practiced in law firms with his brother, the late Ambrose R. Campana, his nephew, Peter T. Campana, his grandson, Michael E. Groulx and Michael Rudinski, Anthony D. Miele and the late Patrick H. Fierro.

John was a litigator. He was both a criminal and a civil litigator. He was both a plaintiffs’ and a defense litigator. John was also an appellate advocate.

At the time of his death, at age 86, John was still actively practicing law.

John was a member of the Young Men’s Democratic Club and active in the Democratic Party. John was also a member of the Williamsport YMCA and regularly exercised there. He was a member of Mater Dolorosa Roman Catholic Church.

John P. Campana died suddenly on April 12, 2006.

He is survived by five children, Gina M. Campana, Ruth S. Groulx, Roberta A. Leta and Roland E. Young of Williamsport and Robert A. Young of Mechanicsburg, 15 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren, a sister, Mary Droll of Kansas City, Missouri, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Martha I. Farley Campana, who died on August 2, 2000, his brother Ambrose R. Campana, a former member of this Bar, and by his sister Jennie T. D’Addio. Included in John’s survivors are local attorneys Michael E. Groulx, Peter T. Campana, Angela Campana Lovecchio and Marc F. Lovecchio.

John was a highly skilled and highly respected member of the Bar of Lycoming County. He was both a trial court litigator and an appellate advocate. Like his brother, Ambrose, John was a champion of the underprivileged. John was generous with his skills and was a mentor to many young lawyers. John was particularly complimentary of the value he gained from his clerkship with Judge Greevy.

John enjoyed life and enjoyed his friends. He particularly enjoyed travel.

John was devoted to his wife Martha and his family. His reputation for devotion to his wife and family was as great or greater than his reputation as a skillful advocate.

John’s family has lost a loved and loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather. Society has lost a contributing and exemplary member.

Your Committee recommends the adoption of the following Resolutions:

BE IT RESOLVED that in the passing of John P. Campana, there has been a loss to the Bar of Lycoming County of an able and conscientious member who upheld and exemplified the highest traditions of the legal profession, a loss to the community of a valued participant, a loss to his family of a devoted, kind and loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, and a loss to his friends and acquaintances of a sincere and caring man.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Court and this Bar do hereby extend to John’s sister, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews a deep and heartfelt expression of sympathy.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread at length upon the Minutes of the Court of Common Pleas of Lycoming County, and that copies of the same be sent to John’s children and sister.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

Anthony D. Miele
C. Edward S. Mitchell
Michael J. Rudinski
Honorable Clinton W. Smith
Charles A. Szybist