A Look at Notable & Celebrity Deaths from January 2025 Week 3

Here are the most recent deaths in the national news, as reviewed and fact-checked by the Legacy.com news team in the third week of January 2025.

Patti McGee (1945–2024), first female skateboarding champion

Patti McGee was the first woman to skateboard professionally and the first winner of the women’s division of the National Skateboard Championships.

Tamayo Perry (1975–2024), Pirates of the Caribbean actor and surfer

Tamayo Perry was a noted surfer who had roles in such movies as “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Blue Crush.” 

Mikala Jones (1979–2023), celebrated Hawaiian pro surfer 

Mikala Jones was a Hawaiian pro surfer known for embracing modern technology and shooting stunning first-person video of his rides.

Kalani David (1997–2022), professional surfer and skateboarder 

Kalani David was a professional surfer and skateboarder who won individual gold in the under 16 division at the 2012 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.

Janet MacPherson (1937–2022), pioneer of women’s surfing

Janet MacPherson was a pioneer of women’s surfing, who became a legend in the surfing community.

Don Wilson (1933–2022), co-founder of surf rock pioneers the Ventures

Don Wilson was a rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the pioneering surf rock instrumental band the Ventures.

Tom Morey (1935–2021), Boogie Board inventor

Tom Morey was a surfer and surfboard shaper who invented the Boogie Board.

Derek Ho (1964–2020), world champion Hawaiian surfer

Derek Ho was a world champion professional surfer. In 1993, at the age of 29, he became the men’s professional world surfing champion. He was the first Hawaii native to accomplish the feat. He was a four-time Triple Crown of Surfing champion (1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990), and two-time Pipeline Masters champion (1986 and 1993).

Dick Dale (1937–2019), "King of the Surf Guitar"

His hit song "Misirlou" defined surf rock and was unforgettable in "Pulp Fiction."

Christian Mondor (1925–2018), priest known as the “Surfing Padre”

The Rev. Christian Mondor, known as the “Surfing Padre,” died Wednesday, April 25, 2018, after a bout with pneumonia, according to the Associated Press. He was 92.

Bruce Brown (1937–2017), director of the influential surf movie “Endless Summer”

His film brought surfing into mainstream culture.

Bob Holland (1928–2017), Virginia Beach surfing legend

Virginia Beach surfing legend.

Jack O’Neill (1923 - 2017), surfing legend who pioneered the wetsuit

Surfing legend pioneered the wetsuit…

John Severson (1933–2017), Surfer Magazine founder

Pioneering surf filmmaker founded Surfer Magazine.

Dick Catri (1938 - 2017), surfing pioneer

Surfing pioneer was known as the Godfather of East Coast Surfing