TOM OVERLIN

TOM ALAN OVERLIN
1946-2006

Courtesy of Curry Coastal Pilot of Brooking, Oregon
Published: December 16, 2006

Tom Alan Overlin, 60, of Brookings, unexpectedly died Dec. 10, 2006, of a heart condition. He was born July 22, 1946, in Orange County, Calif., to William "Bill" and Virginia Rose Foster Overlin. He was raised in Playa del Rey, Calif.In his youth, he played football, baseball, surfed and skied competitively into his pre-teens. He and his brother were both Junior Olympic skiers. He was named to the Los Angeles all-city football and track teams in high school.

He began surfing competitively when he was 15 years old and surfed professionally in the 1960s and 1970s and was ranked in the top 10 World Surfing Federation 4A standings for 10 years. He attended San Fernando Valley State College in California, majoring in physical education with aspirations of becoming a coach.

He married Linda Darlene Lansing in 1966, in Los Angeles. The couple moved to Santa Cruz, Calif. in 1968, where he continued surfing and manufacturing surfboards with his brother for businesses on the east and west coasts.

In 1977, the Overlin family moved to Brookings where he started his business, Chetco Drywall, which he owned and operated until the time of his death. Mr. Overlin coached Curry Youth Football, Little League, Allstar and Babe Ruth from 1982 until the late 1990s.

He enjoyed surfing throughout his life and continued shaping boards as a hobby for family and friends.

Mr. Overlin possessed a one-on-a-kind humor and wit and was a compassionate man, his family said. He enjoyed conducting Bible studies at his home and was said to be gifted in teaching the word of God, they said.

Survivors include his wife Linda Overlin; children, Tiffany Eldridge and husband Donny, and their children Hannah Fallert and Phoebe Eldridge; Josh Overlin and wife Ember; and Matt Overlin.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother Jim Overlin.

An oceanside memorial service will be at 2 p.m., Monday, Dec. 18, at the Port of Brookings Harbor South Jetty. Surfers from around the world will participate in a tribute to Mr. Overlin. A remembrance celebration will immediately follow at the Best Western Beachfront Inn conference room, 16008 Boat Basin Road, in Harbor. Cremation is under the direction of Redwood Memorial Chapel.