Michael Angel Campos

Michael A. Campos passed away on February 13, 2024 with family at his bedside.  He was a loving and devoted husband, dad, grandpa and great-grandpa whose great joy was being around his family.

Mr. Campos was born in the small agricultural town of Corcoran, CA, the youngest of nine children of immigrant parents Miguel and Annie Campos.   He started school speaking no English, but with the help of a kindly teacher, was soon an excellent student.  As a young teen, summer jobs with some of the big farming companies would spark interest in the field of engineering, becoming his life’s work.

At 18, he was to meet a wonderful 16 year old girl named Lynda Rivas, at a dance in Fresno (where he was to start college soon).   They would be married in a few years, raising a family, and being each other’s “best friend” for the next 64 years.

After graduating college, Mr. Campos worked at a private engineering firm with the goal of becoming a structural engineer.  However, California had a great need for Civil Engineers with two major State and Federal Water projects under construction.   So he joined the California Department of Water Resources in Fresno and quickly rose through the ranks, moving to Sacramento, and ultimately rising to Executive Director of the State Water Board.  He also managed to attend law school during this time, graduating from McGeorge School of Law.  Though he greatly enjoyed his time in state service, he was ready for the next challenge.  So, in 1985 he left his position as Executive Director, moving back to Fresno to enter private practice as an Environmental and Water Law attorney.

Though they enjoyed their time in Fresno as his practice flourished, both yearned to be back in Sacramento (as their now adult children all had come to call Sacramento home).  So, “Mike & Lynda” pulled up stakes in Fresno and moved back to Sacramento to be closer to their children.  He enjoyed many more years of private practice before finally retiring in 2012, and truly enjoying all that life had to offer.  Family, and of course, projects around the house.  And though travel had been part of the plan, being around family, most especially their grandchildren, brought more joy.  Family gatherings, whether for the holidays or just a casual dinner, were “the best of times”.  They were “homebodies”…and loved every minute of it.

Michael leaves behind his wife and best friend of nearly 64 years, Lynda, son Michael (Hoeuy), daughters Michele (Tony) and Yvette (Scott), grandchildren Elise (Matt), AJ, Chase, Ella and great-grandson Jack.

Services will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, located at 5057 Cottage Way, Carmichael, CA 95608.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that individuals make a donation to the charity of their choice.