William Vance Campbell II's Obituary
William Vance Campbell, II, 60, of Anniston, Alabama, passed away August 17, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of music, service, laughter, and enduring love.
Born in April 1965, Vance grew up with a sharp mind, a loyal heart, and a trumpet that rarely left his side. After graduating from James M. Bennett High School in Salisbury, Maryland, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, proudly serving his country and carrying the discipline and camaraderie of the Corps with him for the rest of his life.
Following his service, Vance earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music from Campbell University, where he met the love of his life, Amy Laurel (Sechler). Their story began with something as simple as a comment about green beans in the dining hall—a moment that grew into three decades of marriage filled with music, friendship, travel, and love. Amy’s passing in 2022 left a wound in Vance’s heart, but her memory remained his compass and constant companion.
Vance was a lifelong musician, from his Marine Corps trumpet to his love of traditional and "Trop Rock" Jimmy Buffett-style music. He also found a second family in the Parrotheads of Tidewater, where he and Amy shared laughter, friendships, and the joy of community.
He was known for his wit, his honesty, and his way of saying things just as they were—especially in grief. As he once wrote, “It just sucks.” That plainspoken truth was Vance’s way of making sense of life’s hardest moments, and it endeared him to all who knew him.
Vance is preceded in death by his beloved wife Amy, his parents, and many friends who went before him. He is survived by his sisters, Carolynn (Tommy) Wood, and Melody Lee, and three nephews, Mitchell Alsobrook, Thomas Kelly, and Gavin Fields, extended family, fellow Marines, and a host of friends who will carry his memory forward.
In keeping with Vance’s wishes, there will be no formal funeral service. Instead, his life will be celebrated among friends and fellow Marines, with music, laughter, and stories shared in his honor during a reunion Vance had planned to attend Chesapeake, Virginia in September.
Lance Corporal William V. "Vance" Campbell, II, USMC , September 22, 2025 at 1:30p.m. at the ceremonial shelter located at Salisbury National Cemetery Annex, Salisbury, North Carolina.
Vance served with HQ Battalion, 2nd Marine Division Band as a 5541- Cornet/Trumpet Player from 7/24/1984 to 7/23/1988.
He was to have been at his USMC Reunion on Saturday, Sept. 20 in Chesapeake, VA. Therefore, plans are being worked on for a chance to provide closure for three special groups, all very important to Vance: his family in NC, his close friends in Chesapeake and his Marine Corps brothers and sisters
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