The passing of John Severson

[starman]

I was sorry to read about the passing of John Severson. He certainly had a large impact on the surfing world and I kind of remember an influence on windsurfing as well.

http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-john-severson-20170530-story.html

[Dusk Patrol]

RIP ... and that is a great photo of him... transports me back to 70s optimism

[headmount]

My older sister was pals with his wife so I got to met him occasionally in person starting in 1970.  He paddled out at huge Honolua bay back then just as he was closing in on 40.  He was so cool and had a Tom Selleck mustache.  No one else anywhere near his age was out that day.  At that time surfing big waves felt to me like a young man's game and all the rest of us were in our early 20s.  So I saw John and flashed, I don't ever have to stop just because I get older, I can surf forever.  Of course I was loaded and dumb so many silly thoughts like that streamed through my head.

When I was in junior high the first Surfer Magazine came out, just as I was learning how.  We all had surf fever to the max and were hanging ten on lunch tables, practicing, every moment we could.  So John was a god to us and I still retained that reverence when I met him. 

Of course John eventually stopped surfing and started playing golf.  The crowds put him off.  They put me off too but I was into the game up till the time I realized my neck would no longer cooperate and I slipped into the stand up zone, which I figure is some kind of Rod Serling gift to worn out surfers.

[JEG]

My older sister was pals with his wife so I got to met him occasionally in person starting in 1970.  He paddled out at huge Honolua bay back then just as he was closing in on 40.  He was so cool and had a Tom Selleck mustache.  No one else anywhere near his age was out that day.  At that time surfing big waves felt to me like a young man's game and all the rest of us were in our early 20s.  So I saw John and flashed, I don't ever have to stop just because I get older, I can surf forever.  Of course I was loaded and dumb so many silly thoughts like that streamed through my head.

When I was in junior high the first Surfer Magazine came out, just as I was learning how.  We all had surf fever to the max and were hanging ten on lunch tables, practicing, every moment we could.  So John was a god to us and I still retained that reverence when I met him. 

Of course John eventually stopped surfing and started playing golf.  The crowds put him off.  They put me off too but I was into the game up till the time I realized my neck would no longer cooperate and I slipped into the stand up zone, which I figure is some kind of Rod Serling gift to worn out surfers.

 

[Fanman]

I just saw this post and was very sad to read about John's passing.
I lived on Maui for 12 consecutive years and many other partial years. I met Seve golfing, that's what everyone called him at least at Kapalua where he was a golf member and a regular in the daily skins game event called Da Game. I worked there as a Golf Pro. He was very competitive about a 5 HDCP and always a guy you wanted on your team, as it was a team Nassau and individual skins game. I also lived up the street from Hole in The Head and Little Makaha which is where Seve did almost all of his surfing in his latter years. He was a regular in the line up and always got his fair share of waves. His house over looked the point and would get a few boards and people wash up on the bigger swells. He usually sat the furthest out back at Little Mak's on a big brown board while waiting for the bigger sets. When he started paddling for one you might as well get out of his way, cause he was going. As he got a little older, I noticed he was playing less golf and was also surfing fewer days. When I would see him around and ask what he was up too? He said he was staying busy in his art and shirt design etc. and would also say he was doing great. I let him know he was missed and get to back out there once in a while, He always said he would!

Great guy, a legend will be missed!

[rbgar]

Crazy I just dug out a old kahala surf shirt he designed yesterday for a BBQ not knowing this, sad news, he's a legend