Jeff White - Santa Barbara Legend Passes Away

In Memoriam
1

Jeffrey D. White quietly passed away yesterday. He was my partner and friend for many years and will be deeply missed.

The first time I met Jeff, was at a small wood shack of a surf shop along the two lane strip that runs along Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz. He was a tall slender man of around 25 years of age with a building full of O’neill Wetusits that he would rent out by the hour or the day. It was Christmas time, and I was about 8 years old. My family had a ritual of spending alternate Christmas times with my Uncle Brad’s family who lived in nearby Felton. My mom rented a vest for me for around $3, and I can remember telling my brother I was so warm I could stay out all day!

It wasn’t until years later that I would meet Jeff again. After owning my first surf shop at the ripe old age of 17,  I was asked by Char Lockerbie, then the manager of Jeff’s “Surf n Wear” shop on Carrillo Street, to work for them upon returning from an extended surf safari in Central America.  I jumped at the chance, and became one of the three employees that, along with Jeff,  and Char’s sister, Chris, would become the face of Surf "n Wear’s 1970’s history and a cornerstone to other local surf shops to follow.

Although Jeff is well known and remembered for being the creator of “Owl Surfboards” with partner Brian Bradley in Summerland during the early 60’s, he is perhaps more noted for being a powerhouse lifeguard and dory racer with team mate Paul Hodgert.  

I would watch “ABC’s The Wide World of Sports” coverage of “The United State Surfing Championships” held every year at Huntington Beach, California. Every year Hodgert & White would get in their dory and come out on top while battling through frequently huge surf by the pier to round the outside buoy, position themselves carefully in the lineup, then catching and riding a wave in with the dory, to finally land the unwieldy vessel, jump out and run up the beach to the finish line. Paul and Jeff dominated the entire decade!

Jeff was never supposed to live this long. He had been afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis previous to my working with him (1971-79), and after consulting with many doctors that presented a hopeless outlook for him, he found one doctor that offered hope through a stringent and demanding diet and therapy. Jeff faithfully followe those instructions. As he told me, “I went from crawling on all fours in the sand, to eventually walking, then finally running”. 

Jeff’s success story with MS resulted with many people stricken with the disease being brought by to meet Jeff at our shop, thereby providing them with inspiration.

Jeff will be remembered as a dear friend, a business partner that I learned much from, and a real piece of work that all those guys from the Gidget era seem to possess. On any given day Jeff would have Char, Chris and myself crying with tears of laughter or just shaking our heads at what cornball stint he could come up with next. Jeff was truly one of a kind.

Long may you ride Jeffrey.

Bruce Fowler aka DS

2

Thanks for that Bruce, very nice job, I know how close you were with Jeff, sorry for your loss. We had a lot of fun at the old shop when you were there. 

3

We sure did KP. 

To be quite honest… his passing stings like a bitch.

4

Condolences to you Bruce and Jeff’s family. Another good one gone.

5

Bruce Fowler, would you write an In Memoriam for the Santa Barbara Independent? Ethan Stewart suggested I contact you. I’m martha@independent.com.

Martha Sadler

6

Nicely done Bruce. RIP jeff.

 

Here’s another eulogy by David Pu’u

 

 http://www.davidpuu.com/blog/?p=4792

7

Bruce,

Well stated, a very nice reminder of who Jeff was as a person and what he ment to the surf community. It would be really cool if you could do the piece for the Indi.

 

RIP Jeff.

 

 

8

Bruce,

Well stated, a very nice reminder of who Jeff was as a person and what he ment to the surf community. It would be really cool if you could do the piece for the Indi.

 

RIP Jeff.

 

 

9

Martha, give me a word count and I’ll get this to you A/O if not too late…

Addendum: I’ll verify if still needed and submit this later this week (1/3/11)

10

It has been called to my attention that Stan “the man” Veith started the original Owl shop with Jeff, not Brian Bradley as stated here. Late 50’s and early 60’s dates are difficult to guarantee accuracy given the short timeline and lack of research contacting the parties that lived the era and would know certain dates. apologies to anyone that felt slighted in doing so.

 

** **Also a clarification as to the extent of my ‘partnership’ with Jeffrey. I scouted, built the interior, and opened Surf N Wear of Goleta around mid 70’s in old town Goleta. My partnership with Jeff was limited to that store only.  When we expanded to San Luis Obispo and Thousand Oaks, I again scouted and helped open those stores, but without any interest in them. My efforts in expanding SnW provided job opportunities for employees and additional managers, including Roger Nance who co founded “The Beach House” with Jeff. I had no involvement in the creation of their first class operation. Upon leaving SnW in 1979 I received a lump sum for my participation in helping operate and expand the stores to that point. Another  SnW was opened in Santa Maria, which I had no involvement in whatsoever. 

If this sounds like a disclosure it is to some degree. My history with Jeff was rudely called into question by two individuals that felt I had little to do with Surf n Wear during the 1970’s decade. One stated that I was “a flunky” and this is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard. That same person happened to state to me they were “in Hawaii during the entire time” so I have difficulty with people calling into question historical facts when they weren’t even present at the time. The other person was also not present during that time due to individual circumstances. What does that say?

For the most part, numerous people contacted me and said they enjoyed the history and understood it was merely from my perspective. Nothing more, nothing less. The contents were fond memories and nothing was said at anyone’s expense. The basis for any of my statements being called into question by the negative people was that Jeff never spoke of me “even once” to either of them. The irony of that is that Jeff never spoke of them ‘even once’ either. So again, what does that say?

Finally, I was asked to do this eulogy for Jeff, and I’d like to let his memory rest in peace. Grieving is for the survivors, and I guess the saying"no deed goes unpunished" applies here.

I can only surmise that the two that called me were very sad and feeling great loss of their friend. However, Jeff knew many people that made up his legacy, each with a different perspective on what their relationship was, and I don’t feel it fair or equitable that any two individuals claim the right of exclusivity in their friendship with the departed.

Enuff said. no replies needed. Know yourself and govern yourself accordingly.

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