Robert Joseph Campion Jr.

My Husband and soulmate Bobby Campion has passed on to be with our Lord on April 18th, 2023. It was sudden and tragic for our family but he would want us to continue the party of life and bring love and joy to others regardless of our grief.

Robert J Campion Jr. also known as “B.C.”, “Hollywood Bob” or just Bobby was born in Queens NY in 1958, he was the first born to Robert and Patricia Campion, but eventually became the big brother to five more siblings Kevin, Donna, Eileen, Chris, and Billy. All are alive and well and contributing to life in a big way. His mother Patricia Campion is turning 87 this July and is in good health. We are so thankful for our mother as she has been everyone’s “Rock” in all ways. Mind, Body and spirit.

Bobby grew up on the Bay in Huntington Long Island in a big beautiful colonial house. His father, Robert Campion Sr. was an executive at IBM. Bobby would eventually follow in his father’s footsteps and became V.P of sales and leasing at Insight Investments, here in Orange County Calif.

As a boy Bobby was always drawn to the outdoors. As a young boy he loved catching salamanders, frogs and snapping turtles. Intrigued by how things worked, he would perform surgeries on his specimens with the help of his sister “nurse” Donna. The basement at the Bay Ave. house became the laboratory for all things scientific! As he became more mobile, his energy was directed toward the nearest fish hatchery. Catch and release were his motto, and fishing became his most cathartic exercise. Riding his ten-speed bike 10 miles to the nearest fishing hole was always a highlight for Bobby and fishing continued to be one of his favorite pastimes throughout his life.

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC…. Most everyone knows Bobby for this gift. Never long without a band, his career in Music started around age 17 in the town of Huntington N.Y. Younger brother Kevin was the first to form a band and took over the “barn” on their property for rehearsal space. Being an Irish twin Bobby had to follow suit, and he put together a band of his own, the Old #7 Band. They played all venues in downtown Huntington and many a party on the beach, in someone’s Backyard or the nearest tavern.

By age 23 he was ready to break ties with the East coast and road tripped his way across country with his good friend Brian Smith “Smitty”. They made it to Huntington Beach calif and eventually settled in with a group of guys from Cypress Ca. and they have all been his family ever since. Broke and jobless he happened upon a job with HomeGuard selling solar heating. He became their number one closer, and it launched his career in sales. It helped to be the front man for a band as rejection wasn’t an option, this spirit of determination eventually opened the door into sales for the IT and computer industry. The rest is his legacy.

Bobby and I met at a party in 1990, and of course he had a blues band at that time called The Blues Disciples. When we met it was an instant soul connection and we have been together for 33 years. We married in 1991 and have two wonderful sons, Connor and Patrick. The apples don’t fall far from the tree, and Our boys are full of empathy and conviction, a trait their dad passed on to them. Bobby was never happier than when he was with his boys, and Fatherhood was his most cherished role.

He is best known for the band The Kooks which formed in Laguna Beach 25 years ago and some of those same band mates are in his newest endeavor with the Skeleton Crew, a Grateful Dead Tribute band. Santi Perini has been the lead guitarist in all three of his bands, Dave Pinkerton was drummer and Phil Morgan the base guitarist. They all were an extension of our family and I big part of Bobby’s life. Robb Smith was a major music contributor to the F-Jams band and became Bobby’s little brother from another mother. This band played for 10 years down in Cabo San Lucas for an organization called Stars and Stripes. They have raised over 50 million dollars for various children’s charities and Bobby considered this one of his most shining moments. Giving back to the world and others was the spirit in which he lived.

He was a light that burned brightly, and that love and light affected everyone he met. I have been so blessed to have been brought into Bobby's life. He was Gods answer to my prayers and I am a better person for having shared a life with him.

To my Soul Mate, I love you forever.

Michele Campion

We will be having a celebration of Life for Bobby on Saturday July 8th at 10:30 A.M.

Please scroll below to see further information.