Born: September 4, 1929
Passed Away: September 24, 2018
Member Since: July 13, 1961
Classification: Special Effects


Roy L. Downey
Born: September 4, 1929
Passed Away: September 24, 2018
Member Since: July 13, 1961
Classification: Special Effects

Roy L. Downey
Roy Laurence Downey, age 89, resident of Newhall, California died peacefully in his home at 2:39 AM on Monday, September 24, 2018.

His last day was spent listening to Neil Diamond songs, his favorite of which was Forever in Blue Jeans and being visited by many friends.

Roy was affectionately known as “Roy Boy,” by friends and family.

Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on September 4, 1929, Roy was the only child of Margaret Fay Montgomery and Julius Wilson Downey.

Roy joined the Navy in 1946 and served his country for four years.

His first marriage in 1949 to Ana Justa Alicea produced two daughters Margaret Ann Downey Schottmiller and Constance Marie Downey Abramson.

Roy’s career and accomplishments as a pyrotechnician, miniaturist, and special effects technician/coordinator/foreman/assistant in the television and motion picture industry can be viewed at:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0236041/

He was especially proud of being on the special effects team of Spider-Man 2, when they won the 2005 Oscar award.

Roy’s occupations included firefighter, bodyguard, stuntman, and handyman.

He was an honorary Captain of the New Orleans Police Department (1976, 78, and 79) and named Colonel, Aide-de-Camp by the Governor of New Mexico in 1970 and in 1978 by Governor Cliff Finch of Mississippi.

In 2010, Roy was named “Legionnaire of the Year” by American Legion Post 507.

He is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Christine Marie Harper Downey, his daughters, five grandchildren (Matthew Thomas Schottmiller, Holly Ortega Archambault, Michelle Ann Abramson Rork, Jason Wayne Abramson and Danielle Leigh Abramson Adams), eight great-grandchildren (Cameron Banks Archambault, Chloe Sienna Schottmiller, Emmett Walker Schottmiller, Finn David Rork, Jackson Matthew Rork, Brady Stern Adams, Blake David Adams, Nicholas Alexander Abramson) and “beaucoup” loving friends.

Thru his marriage to Christine, Roy inherited a step-daughter Camie Marie Cornes and a step son-in-law, Joseph Edward Cornes, as well as two grandchildren, Ashlyn Marie Cornes and Kyle Robert Cornes, who lovingly referred to him as their Poppy even to this day.

A life celebration/memorial was held at the Newhall American Legion (Post 507) on Saturday, September 29, 2018.