Do we all have people that have influenced, or impacted our lives in a significant way?  Maybe through friendship or through schooling or work. You may not be around them that much but none the less what they do, say and how they live reaches you in a way that has meaning.

For me it started when the guy gave me a job. He actually hired me twice, I worked for him about 6 months then left for about 6 months then went to see him again about work and he hired me again. All totaled I worked for the man around 3 years.

I’m not sure what he saw in me but what ever it was had impact. He was my boss so I looked up to him and at the same time I don’t remember ever feeling uncomfortable around him.

He was one good jazz drummer and found out that I was studying jazz guitar so invited me to his place to jam with him. He knew what he was doing with his drums, me…. I didn’t really know what I was doing. He said “just start playing something”. I did and he stepped right in and brought it all together. It was fun.

Just for fun we rode motorcycles in the hills above Ventura once. And once he invited me and my girl friend to his place for dinner. He, married with a couple kids and living in a nice house in a desirable area. Me in my late teens with my teenage girl friend.

At work he figured out a pantograph could be used to make a surfboard outline scaled larger or smaller. I got to see how that worked… long before there were computers to do that kind of stuff. The man’s designs were unique and different than anyone else. I could see that and the influence he had on surfing.

That Man was Tom Morey. October 15 I got a message from a friend that said he passed away the day before. That was a sad day.

Here is something I wrote about Tom in this post from 12/18/2011

Seeing Morey in the water heads would turn. He was a good surfer, not really a hotdoger, but had great wave knowledge and would draw nice lines with causal style. He never fell and would make every wave. Inspiring to watch. I was young, he seemed… old, smart, knowledgeable, like he had a plan and was executing it. He was my boss so at work, I was at his command. In the water? He was more than my boss, he had the respect of everyone. He was the guy in the water, I was just a guy in the lineup, stoked to be out there, but just a guy in the lineup… and watching Morey like the rest.

Morey did what no else did in many ways. And, he introduced surfing to thousands and thousands of people all over the world via the Morey Boogie. 

R.I.P. Tom Morey

D.R.

Tom...casual on the nose and in the pocket

Another time with Tom I will remember forever.