{"id":124594,"date":"2026-04-13T22:09:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T04:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/memorial-service-for-ben-nighthorse-campbell-draws-diverse-crowd\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T20:10:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T02:10:17","slug":"memorial-service-for-ben-nighthorse-campbell-draws-diverse-crowd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/memorial-service-for-ben-nighthorse-campbell-draws-diverse-crowd\/","title":{"rendered":"Memorial service for Ben Nighthorse Campbell draws diverse crowd"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"About
About 740 people attended a memorial celebration for former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE \u2012 As about 600 people gathered Monday at the Sky Ute Casino Event Center in Ignacio for Ben Nighthorse Campbell\u2019s memorial service, one theme became abundantly clear: He impacted people from all walks of life.<\/p>\n

The venue was packed with bikers decked out in leather; law enforcement and military members in uniform; dozens of voices in politics; several judo Olympians; artists who worked with Campbell; family and friends from far and wide; and a range of prominent Native American individuals, including from the Northern Cheyenne and Southern Ute tribes.<\/p>\n

The 2\u00bd-hour service \u2013 held on what would have been Campbell\u2019s 93rd birthday \u2013 included a slideshow of photos from his life; a viewing of a documentary produced by Rocky Mountain PBS; a military tribute by members of the United States Air Force; a Hoop Dance ceremony representing the circle of life performed by Lightning Boy Hoop Dancers and accompanied by the Southern Ute Yellowjacket Drum Group; and a Native American prayer calling Campbell home to the Creator and the Ancestors.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Southern Ute Yellow Jacket Drum Group play as Hoop Dancers perform during the Ben Nighthorse Campbell Memorial Celebration on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Campbell was also awarded an honorary doctorate at the service by Cynthia Teniente-Matson, president of his alma mater, San Jos\u00e9 State University.<\/p>\n

Several people eulogized Campbell and spoke about his accomplishments and impact.<\/p>\n

Speakers covered his far-reaching accomplishments, from becoming a three-time judo champion, to making award-winning jewelry and raising quarter horses, to co-founding the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally and impacting major legislation while serving as a U.S. senator.<\/p>\n

U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd called Campbell a \u201ctrailblazer in Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Sen.
Sen. John Hickenlooper speaks on a prerecorded video at Ben Nighthorse Campbell\u2019s memorial celebration on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, who spoke in a video tribute, said Campbell \u201cstood up for Native communities, for Colorado\u2019s land and water, and for the idea that respect comes before partisanship.\u201d<\/p>\n

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet described Campbell\u2019s legacy as being \u201cwritten all across Colorado and the West.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the first and only Native American to chair the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Ben forced congressional leaders to recognize and reckon with our government\u2019s broken promises to tribal nations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Campbell, even before his time in office, was always a friend and advocate for ranchers, said former Colorado House Rep. J. Paul Brown. He said his first introduction to Campbell was when Campbell was working as the manager of Sky Ute Downs, and he would let Brown drive his sheep through the arena, up to the mountains.<\/p>\n

The two of them ended up working closely together in politics and on a personal level. Their discussions eventually turned to the future of the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was concerned about where our country was going, very concerned about the the leanings toward the left,\u201d Brown said. \u201cWe talked about that a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Linda
Linda Campbell and her daughter, Shanan Campbell, listen as people speak about their husband and father during a memorial celebration for Ben Nighthorse Campbell on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

W. Richard West Jr., founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and president and CEO of the Autry Museum of the American West, called Campbell the \u201cpolitical and cultural godfather\u201d of the National Museum of the American Indian.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a sentence, the legislation to which Ben devoted heart and soul confirmed the centrality of Native place in history, affirmed it in the present and for the future and created an institution \u2013 literally and physically \u2013 right in front of Congress on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to explain it all with Native voices doing the telling,\u201d said West, a member of the Southern Cheyenne Tribe.<\/p>\n

Mike Lovato described the inaugural year of the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, of which Campbell was a founder, as a \u201clittle get together\u201d that drew 7,000 bikers. That number climbed to 70,000 at the rally\u2019s peak. The event became a major economic driver and a source of pride for Campbell, Lovato said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf all the things he did, he told me one of the things that brings him the most satisfaction was the motorcycle rally, right here in Ignacio, Colorado,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"W.
W. Richard West Jr., founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, speaks during Ben Nighthorse Campbell\u2019s memorial celebration on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Southern Ute Tribe Growth Fund Executive Director Shane Seibel said Campbell had an understanding that leadership was \u201cnot about ego, but about responsibility to the Creator, to the people and to future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis commitment to tribal sovereignty came from that grounding,\u201d he said. \u201cHe believed deeply in the inherent rights of Native nations and worked tirelessly to ensure those rights were respected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman honored Campbell\u2019\u2019s service in the Air Force during the Korean War.<\/p>\n

\"Linda
Linda Campbell and her children Colin Campbell and Shanan Campbell hug on stage during a memorial celebration for Ben Nighthorse Campbell on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cBen had that warrior spirit, and that was conveyed through his life and to many people he met,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Additional voices included Gene Small, president of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe \u2013 of which Campbell was a citizen; two-time United States Olympic judo champion Jim Wooley; Southern Ute Tribe Spiritual Leaders Betty Box and Eddie Box Jr., who delivered a blessing; and Campbell\u2019s children, Colin and Shanan Campbell.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all going to have a big gap in our hearts,\u201d Colin said.<\/p>\n

Shanan described her father as an \u201coverachiever\u201d with a \u201cfierce, self-generating energy.\u201d She said he was \u201cno soft landing\u201d as a parent \u2013 but also called him \u201cthe greatest father I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Al
Al Harper, owner of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, was master of ceremonies at Ben Nighthorse Campbell\u2019s memorial celebration Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cSometimes he had a terrible temper, and he wasn\u2019t always present or great to our family, and I choose to be honest about that today, because he would have been,\u201d she said. \u201cHe would not have wanted a eulogy that turned him into something he wasn\u2019t. He was human, and he was unpredictable and complicated. \u2026 Those of you who knew him already know this to be true: that a great warrior has left this world.\u201d<\/p>\n

A reception followed the service, where attendees visited with the family and swapped stories of Campbell\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n

While speaking with The Durango Herald,<\/em> Betty Box and Eddie Box Jr. shared their memories of the last time they spoke to Campbell, just a month before his death.<\/p>\n

Although he seemed energetic and lucid, not at all like a man approaching his end of life, the Boxes said he knew it was his time to go and was ready.<\/p>\n

Eddie recalled Campbell telling him, \u201cYou\u2019ve got to be strong now.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the days after Campbell\u2019s burial on his family ranch in Ignacio, his dog would sleep outside, right on top of the place he was buried, Betty said.<\/p>\n

Campbell\u2019s wife, Linda, called the celebration of life \u201cthe biggest birthday party he\u2019s ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n

epond@durangoherald.com<\/a>, jbowman@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Linda
Linda Campbell addresses the audience during her husband\u2019s memorial celebration on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Retired
Retired Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman speaks during Ben Nighthorse Campbell\u2019s memorial celebration Monday at the Sky Ute Casino. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Eddie
Eddie Box Jr. and Betty Box, Southern Ute spiritual leaders, offer a traditional prayer and blessings during Ben Nighthorse Campbell\u2019s memorial celebration on Monday at the Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio. (Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>
\n

Watch the service<\/h4>\n

The Durango Herald<\/em> livestreamed the memorial celebration held Monday for former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell. The livestream, which received more than 1,000 views, can be seen by visiting: www.durangoherald.com\/articles\/photos-ben-nighthorse-campbell-memorial\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hundreds gather in Ignacio to honor former U.S. senator<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":124595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5736,5735],"tags":[255,1583],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-124594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news","tag-death-and-dying","tag-former-u-s-sen-ben-nighthorse-campbell"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124594"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124665,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124594\/revisions\/124665"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124594"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=124594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}