Evel Knievel (second from left) shakes hands with exterior Skycycle Designer Doug Malewicki (right) with Skycycle builders Bob Truax (left) and Facundo Campoy (second from right). Photo courtesy of the Campoy family

FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) - The community recently lost Facundo Campoy, a local legend and friend to many. Campoy was a cherished great-great-grandfather and an engineering pioneer with an intriguing connection to the famous daredevil Evel Knievel. 

Affectionately known to family and friends as “Popeye,” Campoy was born in Fair Oaks on Sept. 4, 1933, to Spanish immigrants Francisco (Frank) and Rosa Campoy.

He was the youngest of seven children and the last surviving sibling among Frank Campoy, Anne Clover, Pete Campoy, Joe Campoy, Lasalle Campoy and Isabel Owens.

Facundo Campoy’s obituary, written by his son, Anthony Campoy, highlights that Facundo Campoy was a lifelong member of St. Mel Catholic Church in Fair Oaks, beginning at the original St. Mel Catholic Church on Bridge Street. In 1957, he married Mary Jo Burns from Manhattan, Kansas, at the same church. 

 Andy Campoy holds a photo of his grandfather, Facundo Campoy, taken in 1953 while serving in Korea with the U.S. Army, 24th Infantry Division. Facundo Campoy was proud to be a veteran. Photo by Judy Andrews

Facundo and Mary Campoy had six children: Sandra (deceased), Rebecca, Laura (Kurt), Cheryl, Steve (Amanda) and Anthony (Laurie). Facundo Campoy was also a devoted and loving grandfather to 16 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Facundo and Mary Campoy’s remarkable, faith-filled union endured for 67 joyful years until his passing on Feb. 17. He died peacefully at home, with Mary and family members by his side. 

Campoy had a long, distinguished, impressive career. He worked as a welder at Aerojet General Corporation (later Aerojet Tech Systems) for five years and then owned Campoy’s Speed-A-Motive in Sacramento for another five years.

“My grandfather built and tested engines for racing boats, sprint cars and dragsters,” said Andy Campoy, Facundo’s grandson. Andy Campoy owns Honeymoon Tattoo in Fair Oaks Village. Framed photos and cherished memorabilia of his grandfather adorn the walls of the tattoo parlor, giving it a museum-like atmosphere.

Mary and Facundo Campoy were married at St. Mel Catholic Church in Fair Oaks in 1957. Photo courtesy of the Campoy family

“My grandfather was the most influential person in my life and the center of my universe,” Andy Campoy fondly recalled. “His children and grandchildren adored him. He was a father figure to all of us.”

One photo in Andy Campoy’s shop captures Facundo Campoy racing a drag boat named “Climax” in Long Beach in 1967. On that day, he set an all-time elapsed record for the quarter-mile at 7.33 seconds and reached a speed of 186 mph. Facundo Campoy established a second world record in “Adios Two,” a boat he built, owned and drove.

Campoy returned to Aerojet, where he stayed for another 30 years. He eventually became the foreman of welding operations and retired as the manufacturing director. 

While working at Aerojet in the early 1970s, Campoy collaborated with fellow rocket engineers Bob Truax and Bill Sprow. The three men designed and built a steam rocket propulsion vehicle that Evel Knievel used in his attempted mile-long jump across the Snake River.

 

Facundo Campoy (shown here in the mid-1970s) worked at Aerojet in Rancho Cordova for 35 years. He began as a welder and later was promoted to welding operations foreman and manufacturing director. Photo courtesy of the Campoy family

Campoy was featured in a 1971 Sacramento Bee article, stating, “We had been advertising in magazines, and Knievel read about the work we were doing (on steam rocket engines) at Truax Corp. Evel expressed interest and gave me a call. I told him the engine, heater and test would cost $10,000. Any additional tests needed would be $700 each.” 

“Originally, Evel wanted to jump his motorcycle off into the Grand Canyon but the Department of the Interior said no,” he added.

Truax, Sprow and Campoy constructed three “Skycycles” for Knievel’s outrageous stunt where there was no room for mistakes. The first two were tested at the launch site but crashed into the Snake River due to parachute malfunctions. Knievel planned to accomplish the actual stunt in the third Skycycle.

Campoy discussed the project in a 2015 video documentary, “Being Evel.”

“We thought he was going to make it,” Campoy said. “But it, too, landed in the middle of the river.” 

The parachute deployed too early before reaching the other side. Knievel survived with only minor injuries. Campoy always maintained that the rocket would have succeeded had the parachute worked properly.

Campoy worked on numerous rocket engineering projects for Aerojet, including the production of Titan Defense Missiles, the Navy Mine Program, and the Space Shuttle’s Orbital Maneuvering System engines, for which he received the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award. 

“My father was truly a rocket scientist and a legend in his own time,” said son, Anthony Campoy. “He had a strong presence in the community, earning the respect of many. He was known and well-loved locally and in broader circles wherever cars, boats, or rockets pushed the envelope for speed.”  

A memorial service was held for Campoy on Feb. 28, at St. Mel Catholic Church in Fair Oaks. He was 91 years old.