Ray Underhill died

[Basch]

Ray Underhill

Ray Underhill spent the past two years battling a Chordoma brain tumor. Despite the condition’s debilitating effects, Ray maintained the kindness and strength he was known for. He was an example to his family and to his friends of what it means to be a father, a husband, a friend. Throughout his ordeal, Ray never let his spirit succumb to the cruelty of his condition.

After surgery, and several radiation and chemotherapy treatments, Ray passed away on Friday morning, August 1, 2008, at a hospital near his home in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Ray will be remembered by some as the Powell-Peralta Bones Brigade pro of the late 1980s with the smooth style and deep bag of tricks. He will be remembered by others in the skateboard industry as the Gullwing Team Manager or Web Master at Eastern Skateboard Supply. To those of us who knew Ray, he’s remembered as the guy we wish we were. The one we wish everyone else would emulate—his candor, his kindness, his sense of humor an example to us all. If everyone in the world were just a little more like Ray, what an amazing, peaceful place this would be.

His wife Kerry, and their children Keaton (13) and Olivia (8) lost a husband and a father on Friday. And skateboarding lost a brother—one who made his mark on his board, but who went on to affect us all in far more profound ways for who he was off his skateboard. Quite simply, he was the best of us, and is tremendously missed.

one of my true heroes of skateboarding when I was young, hiss Ban This part was one of my favs ever

here a short tribute from the tube

YouTube - Ray Underhill - R.I.P.

[streetheap]

Thanks Basch.
Ray was one of the good guys.
R.I.P., my man.

[stringtheory]

For those of you who don't know Ray is the guy @ 1:12 who answers the gate (with the 80's skater flip doo). His main part in this is at about 4:38 and 6:40 when he talks about injuries..."not much on my body that's not skadanked" Lol...I saw the Search for Animal Chin when it was brand new 20+ years ago and that scene always stuck in my mind. R.I.P. Ray, you're in a better place than the rest of us now bro.