DCWC

He is a gentle, loving man... of keen intellect.

He grew from a poor family in Seattle
Once briefly living in the projects as a child
Reared paycheck-to-paycheck style
In a loving but poor family

He briefly embraced the counter culture
That was all around him in the sixties
And seventies
But finally shook it as he discovered
Abiding interest in music, martial arts and electronics

It wasn't until the 90's that he met and married
A resourceful, energetic, upbeat Canadian who herself had emerged
From a culture of abuse and dysfunction
Together they forged a relationship that
Placed heavy dependence on each other's strengths
And shored up each other's doubts

Seven years ago after an amazing run of persistence
That would challenge the patience and resourcefulness of both
They had a fine towheaded, blue eyed son... Dakota
He would prove to be the final catalyst to their already strong marriage...
The meaning of their lives

Dakota was up to this in every way
A handsome, thoughtful, inquisitive, athletic son

DCWC and son, Dakota at Sacramento's famous Gunther's Ice Cream Parlor
August, 2010

With a wonderful sense of humor
Who would bring laughter to every day of their lives

As time passes, this son will grow from a loving, professionally successful family
His father in aircraft electronics; his mother in construction insurance underwriting
His family will nurture his direction to its fullest
As he finds his way through life

This is America
This is the place where my brother
David Claud William Campbell
Develops his life to it's fullest

Where he emerges as a gentle, loving man... of keen intellect.

My hero.

Stone - to Heal

Two TC's in Bruneau Canyon, Idaho circa 1990
Where Tyler found the specimen shown polished here.

"Oh I've been down to that place....

Where water falls on my face...

and drink it down... mind erased...

then wander around contemplate."***

The implementation period was six months.
As COO, he would hire, house and equip

More than 120 operations staff
And begin delivering managed care services
For almost 400,000 people living in Northern California

They, in turn, would be supported by hundreds of new and existing health plan staff

In claims, finance, network development and more.

It was a federal government program for military retirees
And active duty families

Initially referred to as the CHAMPUS Reform Initiative

Later called Tricare

Staffing went extraordinarily well
The pivotal directors and managers he hired
Would all make good decisions
About who they, in turn, hired

The implementation was characterized by high energy
A positive mood permeated the entire group
The program was new, the cause was noble

It was to be part of a test program
That was the first of its kind

It was a program that would grow to cover
Almost 10 million people living all over the world
And would celebrate its 35th year in 2023

A year after implementation
The program was judged
By Federal representatives 

And their consultants at Rand Corporation

It was considered a success by all
The founders congratulated each other
While the CEO... a newcomer brought in
Well after the deal was done
Elected to consolidate operations
And let go over half the staff
Who were responsible for the program's success

His job as COO was eliminated
But he was asked to stay on in a staff role to assist with the transition
To reassure the customers key representatives
That service would continue satisfactorily

After a couple of sleepless nights
Reflecting on the fate of the good people who were laid off
Trying unsuccessfully to understand the logic behind the consolidation
He consulted with his wife and decided to leave the company
He made the announcement and the great team began disbanding

In the following weeks he turned to activities at home
Activities that would help him regain his perspective on things
Activities that would help him heal his view of the world

One day, in his garage he picked up a fine, unfinished specimen of Bruneau Jasper
It was one of the best stones he and his son had collected
On a trip to Idaho's Bruneau Canyon, just off the Snake River

He decided to hand polish it
He didn't have the right equipment but he didn't care
He strapped an electric drill in a vise
Locked a grinding wheel in the drill and began

Tyler's Bruneau Jasper (click to enlarge)

First the coarse wheel
Next a finer grained wheel
Next various grits of wet sand paper
Finally polish powder

He had no particular shape for the stone in mind
He just followed it's natural lines
Let it dictate it's own final form

He did three that way
One the size of a plum
Two of them half again larger than his fist
Twenty hours or more for each stone
The best of them was the one his son found
On his first and only trip into the canyon

Along the way he found his own personal form again as well.

***Tyler Campbell from the Arden Park Roots song "Contemplate", the album "No rEgrets in the gArden of weEden", copyright 2010.  The video is here: "Contemplate" YouTube Video