Memorial List of Skateboarders and Surfers



SkateBoarders, Surfers, Photographers & Film Makers Who Are No Longer With Us

This Memorial List helps remind us of those who helped
inspire and elevate the sports of Surfing and Skateboarding.
Death has a very sobering effect and reminds us that our days are numbered.
I am saddened by the passing of many of my friends,
but I will continue to remember them with reverence
and be motivated by their inspiration.

How To Submit Names

SkateBoarders
& Surfers

Chronological Order

• 1979 - Jay Shuirman - NHS Santa Cruz Skateboards - Independent Trucks

• Early 1980s - Bobby Piercy


• 1983 - Bob Mohr (1949-1983), BAHNE Team Rider, Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2017


• 1983 - Torger Johnson (1952-1983), Logan EarthSki Team Rider, Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2010


• Aug 18, 1984 - Pat Flanagan - Age 22 (1962-Aug 18, 1984)


• Nov 5, 1987 - Anthony 'T-Bone' Ybarra - Amateur Skater

• Dec 25, 1993 - Jeff Phillips


• May 17, 1994 - Mike Ternasky - (Mar 4th 1966 - May 17th 1994) - H street & Plan B Manager


• Aug 13, 1994 - Sean Miller - Vert Skater - (Mar 3, 1970 - Aug 13, 1994)


• Dec 23, 1994 - Mark Foo - Surfer (Feb 5, 1958 – Dec 23, 1994)


• 1995 - Frank Hawk (1923-1995), Organized and Ran Freestyle Contests for the NSA, Tony Hawk's Father


• 1995 - Sean Miller


• Sep 11, 1995 - Bonnie Blouin McColl - (Apr 10, 1963-Sep 11, 1995) - Charleston, SC - Early Female Vert Skateboarder, sister to Blaize Blouin. Writer for Lapper skate zine & writer of Skaters Edge in Thrasher Magazine


• Jan 30, 1997 - Kit Erickson


• Apr 29, 1997 - Conrad Miyoshi - Age 45


• Nov 11, 1997 - Dave Perry - Downhiller


• 1998 - Chris Robison


• Oct 5, 1998 - Mike Cardona - (Aug 26th, 1978 - Oct 5th, 1998 - Age 20)


• Aug 22, 1998 - Phil Shao - (Dec 28, 1973 – Aug 22, 1998) - Pro Skateboarder, Redwood City, CA


• Oct 5, 1998 - Mike Cardona - Scotch Plains, NJ - (Aug 26th, 1978 - Oct 5th, 1998 - Age 20)


• May 9, 1999 - Tim Brauch (Apr 26, 1974 - May 9, 1999 - Age 25)


• May 17, 1999 - Jeanne Hoffman


• Sep 9, 1999 - Blaize Blouin - Won the 1988 NSA Am Finals - G&S Pro

• Jun 15, 2001 - Jay Moriarity - Surfer (Jun 16, 1978 – Jun 15, 2001)


• 2001 - Paul Hackett


• Jan 3, 2002 - Mickey Dora - Professional Surfer


• Mar 23, 2002 - Bobby Turner


• Mar 24, 2002 - Joe Lopes (Oct 28, 1964 - Mar 24, 2002)


• Sep 26, 2003 - Pepe Martinez


• Jan 20, 2004 - Jeff Klindt - Skate Artist & Musician - (8/20/1965 - 1/20/2004)


• Mar 21, 2005 - Dennis "Polar Bear" Agnew


• Sep 2005 - Craig Fineman - Photographer


• Oct 10, 2005 - Larry "Flame" Moore


• Jan 2006 - Gary Medeiros - Skateboard Photographer


• Jan 2006 - Hal Jepsen - Film Maker


• Feb 17, 2006 - Harold Hunter - Age 31 - East Coast


• Apr 22, 2006 - Fausto Vitello - Age 59 - Founder of Independent Trucks


• Sep 2006 - Warren Bolster - Photographer


• Dec 26, 2006 - Greg Taie - Slalom Racer


• Mar 4, 2007 - Ben Pappas - Professional Australian skateboarder. Age 29 - Born May 13, 1978.
  Younger brother of skateboarder Tas Pappas. In the late 1990s, Pappas was ranked the No. 2 skateboarder in the world; his older brother Tas was No. 1 at the same time.


• Mar 7, 2007 - Shane Cross - Australian Skater


• 2008 - Ray Underhill (1962-2008)


• Sep 5, 2008 - Van Wastell - Skated for Vans (1984-2008)


• Oct 27, 2008 - Steve Steve Piccoilo


• Jul 23, 2009 - Paul Cullen (1962-2009), Zephyr Skate Team Rider


• Sep 27, 2009 - Danny Bearer - Age 59

• Feb 25, 2010 - Bob Biniak (May?)


• Nov 2, 2010 - Andy Irons - (July 24, 1978 – November 2, 2010) - Professional Surfer

• Jan 25, 2011 - Bob Staton - WFSA - Organized and Ran Freestyle Contests for WFSA


• Mar 12, 2011 - Gene Brown - Born Sep 4, 1940 - Age 70 - Surf Cartoon Art - "Hodads Beware"


• Jun 20, 2011 - Eric Swenson - Founder of Thrasher & Independent Trucks


• Jun 24, 2011 - Chris Cahill


• Dec 12, 2011 - Tom Fain - Surfer

• Feb 2, 2012 - Jeff Ruiz - Hobie Skateboard Photographer


• Mar 25, 2012 - Larry Stevenson - Makaha Skateboards & Inventor of the Kicktail


• Mar 29, 2012 - Michael Peterson - Surfer


• Apr 15, 2012 - John Frances Humphrey - Made The Humco Surfer - First mass produced Skateboard


• May 20, 2012 - Shane Hidalgo - Gravity


• Jun 26, 2012 - Jaya Bonderov


• Sep 12, 2012 - Tom Sims (1950-2012), Age 61, All Around Skater, Sims Team Rider,
  Inventor of the Snowboard, Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2013


• Oct 22, 2012 - Donald Takayama - Surfer Nov 16, 1943 – Oct 22, 2012)


• Nov 2012 - Henry Candioti (1965-2012), Argentinian Freestyler, Terry Synnott said,
  "When I picture what freestyle skateboarding should look like, I picture Henry skating."


• Nov 2012 - Terry Trimble - Nov 24, 1961 - Nov 2012)

• Jan 2013 - Lewis Marnell - Australian Skater


• Jan 24, 2013 - Don Waldo Autry (1957-2013), All Around Skater, Tunnel Skateboards Team Rider, Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2020


• Mar 25, 2013 - Curtis Hesselgrave


• May 31, 2013 - Shawn Peddie - 80's Florida Pro, Rode for Walker


• Jun 15, 2013 - Ron Bennett - Bennett Trucks


• Jun 30, 2013 - Wesley Tucker


• Sep 20, 2013 - Pat “Skatefink” Maphis - Skateboard Collector - (Born Sep 15, 1950 - Age 63)


• Nov 2013 - Rick Jones, Age 50


• Nov 2, 2013 - Buttons - Ernest Thomas Kaluhiokalani (Mar 30, 1958 – Nov 2, 2013)


• Nov 13, 2013 - Gregg Carroll


• 2013 - Alexander the Great Abram "Chorao" (1970-2013), A Freestyler from Sao Paulo, Brazil. An incredible singer/composer who released ten albums which sold more than five million copies.

• Jan 2014 - Scott Williams


• Feb 2, 2014 - Steve Schneer - Age 51


• Mar 18, 2014 - Willi Winkels (1956-2014) Canadian 8-Wheel Skateboard Rider & Innovative Manufacturer


• Mar 29, 2014 - Hobie Alter - Age 80


• Apr 20, 2014 - Chris Yandall


• May 21, 2014 - Skitch Hitchcock (1952-2014), Hobie Skateboard Team Rider,
  Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2021


• Jun 24, 2014 - Shogo Kubo (Age 54 - Born 1959)


• Jul 9, 2014 - Sonny Miller - Vert Skater - Director of Photography


• Aug 13, 2014 - Ethan Miller - Canadian Skateboarder and Cinematographer - Age 39


• Aug 14, 2014 - Jay Adams - Age 53 - Dies while surfing in Mexico


• Sep 9, 2014 - Mike Weed (1958-2014), Hobie Team Rider - All Around Skater
  Born July 18, 1958 - Age 56, , Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2018


• Nov 10, 2014 - Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz - Patriarc of West Coast Surf Instructors
  Born March 3, 1921 - Age 93         Wikipedia     /     News Story

• Mar 2015 - Kurt Ledterman (Age 68 - Born Feb 28, 1947), Aka Mellow Cat
  Editor at Surfer & Skateboarder Magazine [Read More]


• Jun 12, 2015 - Rick Ducommun (Age 63 - Born July 3, 1952) Owner of Skull Skates, Canadian Actor, Comedian


• Sep 9, 2015 - Dan Harkins - Concrete Wave Skater - Born July 21, 1952 - Age 63


• Oct 13, 2015 - Gerry Hurtado - SkateMaster Tate - Skater/Musician- Born 1960 - Age 55


• Dec 4, 2015 - Michael "Biker" Sherlock - Downhill Luge Skater - X-Games champion 1996-1998

• Jan 1, 2016 - Larry Gordon of Gordon and Smith - Born 1939, Age 76


• Aug 7, 2016 - Midget Farrelly, Australian Surfer - Born 1944, Age 71


• Oct 12, 2016 - Dylan Joseph Rieder, Pro Skater, Born May 26, 1988, died from complications of leukemia, Age 28

• May 26, 2017 - Allen Weiss - Founder of Rolls Royce Urethane Wheels - Born 1952, Age 65


• Jun 1, 2017 - Ty Page (1958-2017), Born May 30, 1958, Age 59,
  "Mr. Incredible", FreeFormer Team Rider, Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2016


• Aug 12, 2017 - Russ Gosnell - Rockit Man - Born October 13, 1956, Age 60


• Sep 27, 2017 - Brad Edwards - Pro Skater - February 6, 1969 - September 27, 2017, Age 47


• Dec 10, 2017 - Bruce Brown - Surf Film Producer, Born: December 1, 1937, Age 80

• Jan 13, 2018 - Paul "Mr. Boogie" Bushnell - Age: 89 - Designed the Boogie Bowl in Glendale 1977


• Jan 24, 2018 - Warren Miller - Ski Film Producer, October 15, 1924, Age 93


• Feb ?, 2018 - Freddie Grosskreutz - East Coast Surfer/Skater - Skateboarder Magazine 1975- V2/N3


• Apr 17, 2018 - Lynne Grosse (1962-2018), Australian - Born June 21, 1962, Age 55, Winner at 1976 Magic Mountain Invitational, 1977 South Australian Women’s Surfing Champion, Winner of several European and World Skiing Cup titles


• May 6, 2018 - Mike Davis - Birdhouse Skater - Born ?, Age ?


• Oct 21, 2018 - Bob Ballou - PowerFlex Wheels

• Feb 28, 2019 - Stephan Ellis - Survivor Bassist, Born 1949, Age 70


• Mar 16, 2019 - Dick Dale, the pioneer of surf rock has died age 81. Born May 1937. (1962 hit Misirlou) More Info


• Mar 14, 2019 - Jake Phelps, the Editor of Thrasher magazine


• Apr 23, 2019 - Pablo Ramirez, born Feb. 10th, 1993 in Queens and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Pablo lived and skated in San Francisco. He was sponsored by GX1000 and volunteered with San Francisco Skate Club as a mentor for young skaters. Pablo died at the age of 26 in a traffic collision while commuting on his skateboard in San Francisco.


• Apr 30, 2019 - Mike Doyle, Surfing Icon, Born 1941, Age 78 - More Info


• May 14, 2019 - Ben Raemers, Born Nov. 4, 1990, Age 28, Essex, England


• Jun 28, 2019 - Lewis Brundige, born Jan 22, 1963 - Age 56 - Iowa Skateboarder, Skate Film Documentarian - Obituary


• Aug 8, 2019 - Gabriel Rodriguez, Born May 5, 1973, Age 45, Street Skater for Powell-Peralta,
  then 101 and Chocolate, Died of Cancer


• Aug 22, 2019 - Matthew Mcgeachan - Born July 4, 1973 - Age 46 - World Round-Up Volunteer


• Dec 10, 2019 - Roy Wherry Jamieson, Born Nov. 27, 1958 - Age 61,
  First professional skateboarder from Hawaii, early Wallo’s rider, rode for Sims and Hobie Obituary

• Mar 31, 2020 - Jeff Grosso, Arcadia, Born April 28 1968, Age 51, Vans Team Rider - Link


• Sep 24, 2020 - Keith Hufnagel - Born Jan 21, 1974 - Age 46 - Died from Brain Canceer - Street Skater for HUF and DVS Shoes


• Oct 12, 2020 - Ellen Oneal Deason, Born May 14, 1959, Age 61, G&S Team,
  "The Queen of Freestyle", Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2014
  2014 Hall of Fame   -   NSR Mag


• Dec 13, 2020 - Daymond Dodge, Born June 22, 1961, Age 59, Skateboard Historian & Collector


• 2020 - Matt McGeachan (1973-2020, Beloved World Freestyle Round-Up Staff Member)

• Jan 15, 2021 - Ben Aipa, Born 1942, Age 78, Surfer & Surfboard Shaper


• Mar 14, 2021 - Brian Martin, Born 5/26/1959, Newbury Park, California, All Around Skater,
  Team Rider for Action Sports, Madrid, Sims, Skatopia, and Vans
  2 World Tours with Pepsi, OG Judge, Amputee Skateboarder


• 2021 - Eli Meyers (1963-2021), Belgium Freestyler

• May 28, 2022 - Dick Brewer, Born 10/13/1936, Hawaiian Surfboard Shaper


• Jun 19, 2022 - Sonja Catalano (1936-2022), Director of CASL since 1982,
  Ran Freestyle Contests, , Skateboard Hall of Fame Inductee 2017

• 2023 - Tony Lum
  Born 1965
  Canadian Skater
  Beloved World Freestyle Round-Up Staff Member (Score Keeper)


• Mar 28, 2023 - Robbie McKinley - Hawaii - Street Skater
  Appeared in Girl's video "Yeah, Right" and the DC video


• Sep 22, 2023 - Steve Hall - Long Beach, CA -
  Authored "SkateBoard Wizard" at age 12 (1975) (Sung to the tune of The Who's "Pinball Wizard")
  
  SkateBoard Wizard
  
  I've seen a lot of skaters, by now I must have seen them all.
  In and out of surf shops, they're riding through the halls.
  But I ain't seen nothing like this guy in any flood control
  You've got to see this super-skater and the way this cat can roll.
  
  He enters all the contests, and every time he's won the prize.
  Never been defeated, his fame is on the rise.
  The Nationals were easy, the World will be a breeze.
  Doing all the skate moves and even handstands with ease.
  
  All the chicks adore him, and the people think he's great.
  He's never fallen over and never lost a race.
  He shows up all the locals that hang around the beach.
  No one tries to challenge him cause they know he's out of reach.
  
  The teams all say they want him, but he will not agree.
  To join in with the hot ones, for he likes it being free.
  Night and day they hound him, but he just answers "No!"
  Cause he doesn't need a team - he is a one man show.
  
  The whole world knows about him, and classifies him as a star.
  They know they have a hero, he is the best by far.
  Everybody likes him, he is a friend to all.
  I know he is the greatest, and that he will never fall.
  
  Ever since he was a young boy, he had this single dream.
  "I'll become a Skate Wizard, and make a one man team."
  There weren't any problems, and now his work is done.
  I'm sure you'll all agree with me, this man is number one.
  
  But then one day it happened, what people thought could not.
  He was riding on his Speed Stick and hit a fatal rock.
  The nation's heart was saddened, and we all began to cry.
  None of us could understand why this skater had to die.
  
  Many years have gone by, and many try to match.
  But this man was made of lightning and impossible to catch.
  Perhaps you'll become a Wizard and take his place some day.
  I know that's what he would have wanted because it was his way.
  
  

September 5, 2024 - John Hutson - Born December 23, 1953 - Santa Cruz Team Rider - Slalom & Downhill

October 16, 2024 - Patti McGee - Born August 23, 1945 (Age 79)
          1964 Women's first National Skateboard Champion
          Hobie/Vita Pak Team
          SkateBoarding's Ambassador during the Mid-1960's
          Appeared on the cover of Time Magazine
          Wikipedia

Thanks to all who have helped remember our fallen friends.



Please submit anyone missing from this list with:
Name - Date of Birth - Date of Death - Cause of Death - Where they were living
Also include which sport they were involved with and what their contributions were.

Someone once said that we continue to live as long as someone else remembers us. That saying helped motivate the creation of The Skaters' Memorial List. Some people feel that this list should not be posted, but death is real and has a positive sobering effect.

"It is good to eat, drink and be merry, but pleasure lasts for only a short season. It is much more profitable for a person to attend a funeral. For it is there they realize that Death is continually knocking at their door and it is time to get their life in order.

Skate Forever and Serve The Sport,
Russ Howell