From the Navy to the Bass Boat
If you asked residents at Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village about Ed Camblin, chances are the conversation would eventually turn to fishing.
Mention Willow Slough, and someone would probably smile before saying, “You should have heard Ed tell that story.”
Whether he was recounting the one that got away, talking about his years as a bass guide, or reflecting on life with the quiet wisdom that comes from more than a century of living, Ed had a way of drawing people in. His stories were filled with humor, humility, and an appreciation for life’s simple joys.
Ed passed away earlier this year at the age of 105, leaving behind a legacy defined not only by remarkable experiences, but by the way he shared them with everyone around him.
Long before the fishing stories and bass boat adventures, Ed was a young man growing up in Morocco, Indiana.
Born in 1920, he graduated from Morocco High School in 1939. Not long afterward, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where his military career began with a job he never forgot.
“Picking up orange peelings,” Ed joked during an interview we were honored to share with him at Oak Grove.
Eventually, he qualified as a motor machinist’s mate, responsible for keeping boat engines operating during World War II. Out of his training class, the top 50 recruits were selected for advanced schooling in Cleveland, Ohio. Ed proudly finished 37th before continuing his training in The Solomons on Chesapeake Bay and later in Norfolk, Virginia.
About a year into his service, Ed was granted a 10-day leave. He knew exactly what he wanted to do with it.
On May 21, 1943, he married the love of his life, Marcheta, in Hannibal, Missouri.
Like many young couples during the war, money was scarce. Ed laughed as he recalled borrowing his sister-in-law’s wedding ring for the ceremony. With only ten dollars in his pocket, he handed it to the preacher. The next day, he borrowed twenty dollars from his father so he could buy Marcheta a ring of her own.
It was a humble beginning to a love story that would span 80 years.
Soon after their wedding, Ed returned to active duty, serving aboard ships and landing craft that supported major amphibious operations throughout Europe. His service took him to the battles of Salerno and Anzio and to the invasion of Southern France during Operation Dragoon.
One of the most memorable moments came when Ed and nine fellow servicemen found themselves stranded on the Island of Elba during Operation Brassard in June 1944—an experience he vividly remembered decades later.
Ed was awarded a Purple Heart before being honorably discharged in 1945.
After the war, the government offered returning servicemen a one-way train ticket anywhere in the country. Ed used his ticket to travel to Hollywood, California, where Marcheta was living with her parents.
Eventually, the couple returned to Morocco, where Ed farmed before spending many years as a rural mail carrier. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, and hard work.
Yet some of Ed’s greatest adventures were still ahead of him.
After moving into town, he discovered Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area, where bass fishing became much more than a hobby.
It became a passion.
Ed helped develop Willow Slough in its early years and was among the first anglers to fish its waters. Before long, he earned a reputation as one of the area’s premier bass fishermen.
His love for the sport eventually followed him south when he and Marcheta moved to Florida in 1982.
For the next 25 years, Ed worked as a bass fishing guide on Lake Kissimmee, introducing countless visitors to the thrill of catching largemouth bass.
His success on the water brought unexpected recognition. Ed appeared on three television fishing programs and was featured in Outdoor Life magazine in an article titled, How to Catch 20,000 Bass.
Still, fishing was never just about catching fish.
Some of Ed’s favorite memories came after the boats were unloaded and the lines were put away—sharing fish fries with family and friends, swapping stories, and enjoying the fellowship that naturally followed a day on the water.
That same gift for storytelling made him a beloved friend at Oak Grove.
Whether he was reminiscing about Navy life, telling stories from Morocco, or reliving another day at Willow Slough, Ed loved good conversation. He had witnessed more than a century of American history, yet he remained remarkably humble and grateful for the life he had lived.
When asked the secret to reaching 105 years of age, Ed didn’t hesitate.
“Get up in the morning, go to work, and do something you like to do.”
It was simple advice from a man who had lived an extraordinary life.
From serving his country during World War II to guiding fishermen on Florida lakes, from building a family with the love of his life to becoming one of Oak Grove’s most treasured storytellers, Ed’s life reminds us that the richest journeys aren’t measured by the miles we travel or the fish we catch, but by the people we love, the stories we share, and the legacy we leave behind.