Stellan Per Knoos

Stellan was born in Malmö, Sweden as the first-born child of three to Gunvor and Torsten Knöös on March 30, 1938. He had a fun-loving spirit and entertained his childhood friends with jokes and pranks, such as cutting down all the flowers in the community gardens to give to the mothers, throwing water balloons at passers-by from his apartment building, and charging per kiss from the local ladies in his very own kissing booth at the age of six. His love for practical jokes continued throughout his life as many of his friends can attest to. He also had an avid interest in model airplane design and flying for which he won the Swedish National Championship at the age of 16.

He continued pursuing his engineering interests by enrolling in the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, earning the advanced degrees of Licentiate of Engineering and Docent in Gas dynamics, and later serving as professor. He flourished in his role of "klubbmästare", social event coordinator, where he became known for his spontaneous and social side. After KTH he was offered a scholarship to study for his PhD in aerospace engineering at Stanford University, which he completed at the age of 28. He continued working in engineering at companies like NASA, AGA, and Northrop in rocket science, aerospace, and solar energy. Throughout his career he patented over 100 inventions in combustion engines, solar energy collection, and mechanical sailboat self-steering. An entrepreneur at heart, Stellan turned one of his inventions into a 50+ year successful business, Sailomat. Through Sailomat, he helped sailors circumnavigate the globe using this mechanical self-steering technology.

Beyond his academic and career interests Stellan had a lifelong desire for adventure. One of his wildest ideas came when, fueled by his love for his now wife Eva and his desire to fulfill her lifelong dream of seeing India, he bought a VW van to drive her there from Sweden. The two drove through Turkey, Yugoslavia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Iran to get there, narrowly escaping the revolution of 1979. Once in Nepal, Stellan traded the van to the Soviet airline Aeroflot in Nepal for two plane tickets. Stellan and Eva wed in Morocco the same year.

Stellan also enjoyed many sailing and off-road camping trips in Baja and the Mediterranean, trips with Eva to Greece, skiing in the Alps, and backpacking in the mountains of northern Sweden. His children have fond memories of Stellan driving them from Sweden down through Europe, and introducing them to the outdoors with fishing and boating during summers in Sweden.

In America he settled in Malibu and eventually in La Jolla where he based his business and enjoyed the California sunshine and proximity to Mexico. Here he also developed a passion for American cars, owning over 65 of them and driving many of them cross-country.

In his later years, Stellan loved spending time with family, watching the hummingbirds buzzing in the garden, and following the stock market. He was dubbed "The Miracle Man" by his cardiologist and oncologist after he survived multiple heart surgeries, stage 4 metastatic malignant melanoma, and severe heart failure for many years. He felt the support of a higher power throughout his health challenges and faced them stoically. He remained a devoted father, husband, and friend throughout.

Stellan is remembered as a free thinker, inventor, and engineer who was passionate about traveling, sailing, outdoor adventures, and his family. He is survived by his beloved soulmate and wife of 49 years Eva, with whom he shared an avid love of traveling and spending long summers at their home in the archipelago outside Stockholm in Sweden. His children remember him as an out-of-the-box thinker who encouraged them to go against the grain and to find unique solutions to problems. Stellan's legacy is one of steadfast family devotion, unique and brilliant ideas, and walking his own path. He will be deeply missed by his wife Eva Hedberg-Knöös and their three children Margareta (Leonardo, son Axel), Anna (Bradstreet, children William and Charlotte) and Johan. He is also survived by daughters Lena (Dahlia, Max, and Bo) and predeceased by his daughter Marie (Gabriel).

If you feel called to contribute to a charity to help orphans in Stellan's memory please visit the website for the Tijuana Christian Mission: Stellan visited the orphanage and felt very strongly for the needy children.

https://tijuanachristianmission.org/donate/