In memory of John Peck.

A David Puu image in Baja.

The first I knew of John Peck was maybe 1964 in my mid teens seeing him on a Surfer Magazine cover and when I got a chance to see a surf film during that time with stand out footage of him surfing.

Little did I know then or even dream I would eventually not only meet him but get a job shaping his signature model surfboard three years later. At Morey-Pope surfboards in Ventura.

John was a champion surfer. But when he’d come around the Morey-Pope shop you wouldn’t know it. He seemed sure of himself but was kind and easy going. He had time to talk and didn’t seem to be bothered by a guy that was just 18 years old. He was comfortable to be around.

John thought of others, not himself… an example for me was when he wanted me to meet him at a Huntington Beach surf meet. He wanted to introduce me to his friends, the big names in surfing that would be there. It certainly wasn’t something I thought about, but, he thought it would be good for me. 

Then there is the story of a surfing event in Peru that John was a part of.  While there he met a young Peruvian kid that was a pretty good surfer. At the time of them meeting the kid didn’t have a surfboard, so before John left to return to the States he gave the kid his surfboard. The surfboard he gave him, John told me, was one of the best boards he ever had.

From late 1967 to early ’68 I didn’t see John. From stories I had heard and a few conversations with him, it seems he went through some wild times. We reconnected in the summer of 2002 when he was in Ventura for a surf meet.

A few years later while living on Kauai we met up. During that time I did a little carpentry work for him at his house in Kekaha. He wanted to pay me. I told him I didn’t do the work to get paid so “don’t worry about it.” So what did he do? After talking to my wife Suzi, who adored him, he bought us a gift for our house..

Suzi and John

We talked about making boards in the shed at his place in Kekaha. However I ended up returning to Ventura late 2005. To me, John seemed a bit disappointed when I told him we were going to return to the main land, which meant we wouldn’t be doing any surfboards. But, the following year I did a batch of 26 Penetrators for him through a shop I was working for at the time. John, happily, got one of those boards for himself.

When I was invited to be in a shape off event at the Board Room Show in Ventura John came up to the event to give me some support. And, the year before he came up to the show and hung with me during and after the show. I didn’t ask him to, he just came because he wanted to be there for me.

John with me in my show booth

John, his longtime friend Reno Abellira and myself. at the Show

After our property was devastated in the January storms of 2023 my friend and former partner Bill “Blinky” Hubina put together a surfboard raffle to raise some money for my wife and I to help with what we were going through after the storms. Blinky suggested I shape a Penetrator. So I asked John if it was ok that we used his Penetrator logo on the board. Not only did he say yes, but took the time and made the effort to put the labels in the mail so I received them within a day. The funds Suzi and I got from that raffle was a big help to us.  And John helped make it special.

The raffle board and the winner Ray

John Peck, a peaceful, kind and caring soul made a difference in my life. It’s hard to imagine my life with out him in it.

He will always be remembered. Rest in peace my friend.

D.R.