[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 166 (Friday, September 24, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY OF GILBERT CAMPBELL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LORI TRAHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 24, 2021

  Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the tremendous 
contributions and legacy of Gilbert Campbell, a successful businessman 
and community leader who dedicated his life to the prosperity of the 
Greater Lowell community. He passed away peacefully on September 16, 
2021.
  Gilbert was born in the Centralville neighborhood in the City of 
Lowell in 1930. After graduating from Lowell High School in 1948, 
Gilbert would embark on a seven decade-long professional career, first 
as a distinguished home builder, real estate developer, and 
entrepreneur; and later as a hotelier, restaurateur, professional 
sports owner who was renowned for his passion for thoroughbred horses.
  Over the span of his home building career, Gilbert built 1,500 
houses, 3,000 apartments, and many commercial buildings. He was 
extremely involved in the home building community, so much so that he 
was a founding member and one-time president of the Lowell Home 
Builders Association, a past President of Massachusetts Home Builder 
Association, and a previous Vice President and Lifetime Director of the 
National Home Builders Association.
  In addition to his impressive professional career, Gilbert never 
forgot where he came from. He worked tirelessly to make his hometown of 
Lowell a better place. His expertise and vision for the future of the 
City made him a trusted confidant to many business and political 
leaders over the years, myself included. He was a founding member of 
the Lowell Plan, the former St. John's Hospital/Saints Medical Center, 
the past President of Vesper Country Club, a previous Chairman of the 
Northern Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, and a co-owner of Lowell's 
first professional sports team, The Lowell Lock Monsters. Gilbert's 
contributions to the economic development of Lowell has had a lasting 
impact on the city and will continue to be felt when walking the 
streets downtown for generations to come.
  Throughout his life, Gilbert was the recipient of numerous 
recognitions from distinguished organizations for his work in our 
community. He was selected in the 1960s as the New England Builder of 
the Year and in 2016 as the Florida Breeder of the Year Award, 
alongside his beloved wife, Marilyn. He was also inducted into the 
Lowell High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame, the Northeast 
Builders Hall of Fame, and the New England Turf Writers Hall of Fame. 
In the face of so many well-deserved accolades, Gilbert remained 
humble, accessible and down to earth. Through his years of leadership, 
Gilbert has made the City of Lowell a better place to call home.
  Gilbert will be remembered for his love for his family and friends, 
his kindness to those around him, his distinguished professional 
career, and his immense pride in the City of Lowell. My heart goes out 
to Marilyn, his children Susan and Gary, and the entire Campbell family 
during this difficult time. Gilbert's legacy will live on through his 
loving family and all of us who had the honor of knowing him.

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