Funeral Arrangements, Memorial Fund Announced for Joel Campora

Wildlife Officer 1st Class Joel Campora was a hero in the truest sense of the word.

His body was recovered June 2 near the location where flood waters took the lives of Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter and two women. Campora and Carpenter were attempting to rescue the two Y City women when flood waters collapsed the women’s home.

Campora had been a wildlife officer with the AGFC since 2007. He was assigned to Scott County and lived in Waldron with his wife and two children.

As a cadet, Campora wrote in his personal biography that he knew from an early age what he wanted to do with his life.

“From the time I was in fourth grade in school, I have always had the dream of being a game warden. I remember seeing those officers and thinking how there could not be a better job out there,” Campora wrote.

“Being able to have a job that allowed you to work with and preserve nature was only a dream to me. Now it is a reality and I will be proud to put onthe uniform every day of my career,” he added.

Torrential rains in the area began May 30 and continued through June 1 causing area rivers and creeks to swell. The National Weather Service reported that nearly eight inches of rain fell in that area over a 12-hour period May 30-31.

Campora and Carpenter got into the wildlife officer’s boat just after midnight on May 31 to answer a 911 call that the two Y City women were in their house and were in danger from the flood waters of Mill Creek. The swollen creek caused the home to collapse while Campora, Carpenter and the two women were inside.

Campora’s funeral will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 7 at the Waldron High School football field. There will be a fundraiser at the Lum and Abner Festival in Mena on Saturday. Donations may be made to the Wildlife Officer Joel Campora Memorial Fund at:

First Community National Bank
934 West 2nd St.
Waldron, AR 72958
479-637-3470

Courtesy Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

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