March 8, 2021 - Tony Campbell, the highly respected founder and Chairman of the Longwall Associates Group of Companies headquartered in Chilhowie, VA has passed away.
Campbell, age 80, of Glade Spring, Va., went to be with the Lord on Friday, March 5, 2021, at his home surrounded by his family. He was born to the late Charles Richard Campbell Sr. and Margaret Hudson Campbell of Saltville, Va. In addition to his parents, Tony was also preceded in death by his brother, Charles Richard "Dickie" Campbell Jr.; and sister, Doris Ann Price.

Tony Campbell

Tony attended R.B. Worthy High School in Saltville Virginia, where he was an outstanding football player earning the "Rough Man Jacket". After high school, Tony joined the United States Air Force and was stationed in Greece and Turkey before returning to California where he met his wife of 57 years. They resided in California until 1977, when they moved back to Virginia to raise their children.

Tony worked for Rainbow Bakery, Sunstrand, Daniels and American Longwall until he started his own business in 1989. From 1989 to 2012 Tony and Josie founded C&A Fabricating, C&A Cutter Head, Longwall Associates, Longwall Associates Australia, American Highwall Systems and American Highwall Mining. The success of one business led to the creation of others with all of these businesses involved in mining equipment manufacture for coal mining operations and mineral extraction.

“I have enormous admiration for Tony and everything he achieved,” said Bill Reid, former President of American Longwall. “He had a keen eye for recognizing good business opportunities and formed solid companies from scratch by surrounding himself with great people. He was highly respected by his customers and cared deeply for his employees. By sheer hard work, Tony grew Longwall Associates to be the leader in its field of supplying longwall face conveyor and stageloader equipment and he touched the lives of many people around the world. We are saddened by his passing and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”  

Longwall Associates, from humble beginnings, has grown to be internationally recognized and respected and has supplied longwall mining machinery to almost every longwall mine in the USA as well as to mines in four countries on three continents. The success of the businesses provided Tony and Josie the wonderful opportunity to travel extensively for both work and pleasure but Tony's true passion was fishing in Canada on memorable trips with his father, his sons, his grandson and dear friends.

Tony is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Josie Valle Campbell; two sons, Paul Campbell and wife, Tricia, of Glade Spring and Lance Campbell and Bobbie Jo Murray, of Livingston, Mont.; daughter, Shelley Campbell and husband, Myers Massengill, of Abingdon; four grandchildren, Sydney Alexandra Campbell, Jack Anthony Campbell, Weatherly Estella Massengill, and Camilla Genevieve Sloane Massengill; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Of all the accomplishments in Tony's full life, his family was his most cherished accomplishment and brought him his greatest happiness.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 11, 2021, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Main Street Chapel, Farris Funeral Service, 427 E. Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24210.  A funeral mass will be held on Friday, March 12, 2021, at 10 a.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church, 820 E. Main St., Abingdon, VA 24210, with Fr. Xavier Musolooza officiating. A committal service will follow at Mt. Rose Cemetery, where his dear friends and colleagues Larry Johnson, Randy Kestner, Gary Ball, Shannon Thompson, Joey Pruitt, and Steve Campbell will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or the Duke Cancer Institute, 300 W. Morgan St., Suite 1200, Durham, NC 27701. Those wishing to send "Hugs from Home" or express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com.