Mae Kathryn Campbell

Mae Kathryn Campbell, a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, was born on July 29, 1946, and departed this life on May 4, 2026, just shy of her 80th birthday.

Mae was the third of seven children born to Cleveland and Charlie Theresa Campbell. From an early age, it was clear that Mae was exceptionally intelligent. She was a voracious reader, kind-hearted, serious, studious, fun, and easygoing. One of Mae’s proudest accomplishments, and a source of great pride for her family, was graduating from E.E. Worthing High School in Houston, Texas, as Valedictorian of her class. She went on to earn a full scholarship to Howard University.

In 1964, Mae set off for Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she majored in Chemistry and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Mae was fortunate to attend Howard during a historic era in the United States, a time that further cultivated her passions for civil rights and social justice. While at Howard, Mae served as Secretary of the American Chemical Society, was a member of the Kappa Sigma Debate Society, and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. through the prestigious Alpha Chapter on Howard’s campus.

Upon graduating from Howard in 1968, Mae joined IBM, where she built a distinguished and successful 35-year career. She spent much of that time living in Los Angeles, California, where she created a life filled with her many passions, including travel, adventures with friends, yoga, shopping, reading, and collecting beautiful art. Mae was a lifelong learner, intellectually curious, and gifted in her ability to engage others across a wide range of topics, making them feel seen, heard, and remembered.

Although Mae spent many years living in California away from her family in Texas, she always remained closely connected to them. As one of seven siblings, she was affectionately known as “Aunt Squeek” to 17 nieces and nephews, and she had a special way of making each one feel like they were her favorite. With one phone call or visit with Squeek, you could get caught up on the lives of family and friends. No matter where she was in the world, Mae remained present, connected, and deeply invested in the people she loved.

When some of her siblings began experiencing health challenges, and as she desired to be closer to her mother, Charlie T., Mae moved back to Houston. There, she became a source of joy, strength, companionship, and fun. Education continued to be a cornerstone value in Mae’s life, and she later started her own tutoring company, making an invaluable impact on many young people in the areas of STEM. Whether you knew her as Mae or Squeek, to be in her presence was to experience unparalleled kindness, faith, grace, wit and wisdom.

Mae was preceded in death by her parents, Cleveland and Charlie Theresa Campbell; her brothers, Donald Campbell, Charles Campbell, and Cleveland “Roy” Campbell; and her sisters, Geraldene McKee and Carolyn Davis.

She leaves to cherish her memory her sister, Betty Alexander; brother-in-law, Kenneth McKee; sister-in-law, Frances Campbell-Hunt; and her nieces and nephews: Teri Alexander, Celeste Alexander, Nicole Alexander, Jodie James, Stefanie Etienne, Tiffany Campbell, Akilah LeBlanc, Lucious McDaniel III, Joseph Davis, Angela McKee-Brown, Bryan McKee, Heather Mattisson, Charles “Casey” Campbell Jr., Jason Campbell, Gabrielle Floyd, Amber Campbell, and Keli Best.

A Celebration of Life will be held on June 6, 2026, at The Crossing Community Church, 3225 W. Orem Drive, Houston, Texas 77045, at 10:30 a.m. Omega Omega services for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will take place prior to the Celebration of Life service at 10:00 a.m.