Colin Campbell, one of the U.S. Grains Council’s early and influential technical experts, passed away at his home in Gloucestershire, England, July 3.

Campbell, who served as director of the Council’s office in the United Kingdom from 1964 to 1982, and conducted sheep and goat feeding programs throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East for several years after that, was a mentor for succeeding generations of Council staff, according to Tom Sleight, USGC president and CEO, who called him “a long-time employee, consultant, and sage.”

“Those who worked with him will have a multitude of ‘Colin’ stories,” said Sleight. “He was one of those wonderfully quirky but oh-so-talented people that you just wanted to spend time with.”

“He did sheep programs all over North Africa and the Middle East,” remembered Erick Erickson, USGC director of global strategies. “He’d go to little villages and teach them to make simple lamb feeders out of local materials so people could bring their sheep into a communal feedlot to feed them intensively. That would reduce losses, shorten the time to slaughter and make sheep more profitable.

“His programs changed peoples’ lives.”

Richard Krajeck, past vice president of the Council, remembered Campbell’s frugality with per diem expenses: “When we had international staff conferences, he would stay in tents to save his per diem.

“He was incredibly likeable, very self-effacing, and a character who was a bit bigger than life.”

Bill Mark, who headed the Council’s Latin American programs, had a similar memory: “He was like a write-up from Ian Fleming and a wonderful guy all over.”

Former USGC chairman Don Jacoby remembers traveling with past president Ken Hobbie to visit Campbell at his farm in Gloucestershire.

“I just think of him as the epitome of an English gentleman,” said Jacoby. “I respected the man immensely and was proud to have him representing the U.S. Grains Council. That’s it in a nutshell.”

Campbell is survived by his wife, Cecilia, and two sons.