Sophia Campbell

Sophia Diane (Granger) Campbell, age 65, of Ames, Iowa, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. Funeral services for Sophia Campbell will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at Friendship Baptist Church, 2400 Mortensen Road #103, in Ames, with Reverend Moses Ward, Sr. officiating. Following the funeral will be a time of food and fellowship at the church, followed by burial at Ames Municipal Cemetery. Sophia's funeral services will be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@friendshipbaptistchurchame4093 Born on November 10, 1959, in Darlove, Mississippi, Sophia was the thirteenth of fifteen beloved children of Tommie and Naomi (Tate) Granger. She was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers--Tommie Jr., Joseph, Moses, David, James, and Larry--and two sisters, Mary Bailey and Mildred Evans. Sophia is survived by her loving husband, Alphonso (Al) Ro'mon Campbell; her devoted daughter, Nikia Andrea (Campbell) Tracey of Des Moines; and her cherished grandchildren, Roman and Arya Tracey. Sophia's siblings include four brothers: Frank (Betty) Granger of Dallas, Texas;...[more]

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hn Granger of Chicago, Illinois; Nora (Barbara) Granger of Greensville, Mississippi; and Peter Granger of Los Angeles, California; and two sisters: Betty (Robert) Granger of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Sarah Ross of Ames, Iowa. Her extended family includes three brothers-in-law: Charles Moore, Henry Campbell Jr., and Earnest (Penny) Campbell, all of Montgomery, Alabama; and three sisters-in-law: Cassandra Harris, Yvonne (Willie) Everett, and Cheryl (Charles - deceased) Pennington, all of Montgomery, Alabama; as well as a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, godchildren, extended family, and friends. Sophia professed her faith in Christ at the age of six at Mt. Zion Church in Darlove, Mississippi. She remained deeply committed throughout her life, helping found Friendship Baptist Church (FBC) in Ames, Iowa, and serving as Treasurer of the Finance Committee from 2000 until her passing. She was Secretary for the Three Cord Ministries Board of Directors from 2000 to 2003, always lending her wisdom and organizational skills to enrich her church community. From an early age, Sophia was captivated by science, often experimenting in the kitchen and reading voraciously. After graduating from Simmons High School in Hollandale, Mississippi, in 1977, she attended Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Pre-Dentistry in 1981. Sophia was a proud member of Alpha Kappa Mu and Beta Kappa Chi Honor Societies, and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Sophia went on to earn her Master of Science in Microbiology (food microbiology emphasis) at Iowa State University in 1984. Her thesis, "Direct-plating of 100-ml samples," was published as "Aerobic Plate Counts of 100-ml Samples in Plastic Bags" in the Journal of Food Protection (Vol. 50, No. 4, Pages 296-299, December 1987), marking a significant contribution to public health and food safety. Sophia began her career at the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University, where she worked to improve seed viability for corn and soybean planting. She evaluated different substances for encapsulating seeds to maintain their viability during shipping, storage, and under various environmental conditions. As Microbiology Laboratory Manager at Iowa State (1986-1992), she oversaw laboratory operations, trained students, maintained safety protocols, and supported a variety of microbiology courses and research projects. In 1992, Sophia joined the United States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)/Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS)/Veterinary Services (VS)/Diagnostics & Biologics (D&B)/Center for Veterinary Biologics-Policy, Evaluation, and Licensing (CVB-PEL)/Bacteriology Laboratory (BACT Lab)-Sterility (ST) Unit in Ames, where she served as a Microbiologist until her retirement in December 2024. During her distinguished career, Sophia: • Volunteered at Ames public schools and Youth and Shelter Services (1992-2003) • Presented at notable industry conferences: Midwest AOAC, CRWAD, USAHA, ALT Symposium, AHI's Endotoxin Workshop, and PAHO Expert Consultation in Santiago, Chile. • Volunteered for 30-day deployment to Southern California to combat an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease in poultry (2003) • Chaired the NVSL/CVB EO/CR Advisory Committee (1999-2003); served on the National Civil Rights Leadership Committee (2003-2009) and Blacks in Government (2001-2019); Vice Chair of NCRLC (2007-2009) • Received multiple certificates for leadership, project contributions, vaccine licensure support, ELISA training, Lean Six Green Belt completion, and laboratory supervision • Led purity/sterility testing in the Bacteriology Section, overseeing hundreds of tests on biological samples to ensure compliance with federal regulations • Served as Laboratory Coordinator for Bacteriology, directing and editing testing plans and special laboratory requests • Provided guidance and support for regulatory testing and produced thousands of laboratory reagents • Co-led quality assurance initiatives and contributed to business process improvement projects for biologic manufacturers Sophia's love for family was paramount. She married Al Campbell on October 12, 1982, and together raised their daughter, Nikia. She treasured time with her grandchildren, Roman, and Arya, and delighted in family activities and summer programs. Sophia's reading habit was well known; her sister Sarah recalled that "while other children played outside, Diane preferred reading," and her family donated bestselling books to the Ames Public Library each year. Sophia also enjoyed following Iowa State University sports and admired athletes such as Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, Caitlin Clark, and the Kansas City Chiefs football team. In lieu of flowers and other customary remembrances, Sophia's family suggests that memorial contributions -- in her name, "Sophia Campbell Memorial to Accura HealthCare of Ames" may be sent to their attention at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa, 50010. The funds will be used towards purchasing a blanket warmer for their clients.