Leonard Rodney Lundquist

(1934-2016)

Son of the late Leonard C and Vera G Kuhnle Lundquist. Rod was born and raised in San Francisco where he attended Lincoln High School and was a championship swimmer. In the ‘50s and ‘60s Rod was a renowned big wave surfer at SF Ocean Beach and Santa Cruz. During this time Rod also life guarded at SF Fleishaker Pool and Santa Cruz Boardwalk.

Rod attended UC Berkeley, San Jose State, and graduated from SF State College with a BA in English, and MA in Language Arts/ English in the ‘60s. Rod’s passion for the arts inspired him to work with others in co-founding the SF Neighborhood Arts Program (aka SF Arts Commission) in 1967. Rod served as the Commission’s first Director. Rod was an accomplished classical guitarist having studied with the famous Julian Bream.

Rod’s vibrant and enthusiastic personality carried into the classroom where at Cabrillo College he taught English for 18 years and served as the English division chairperson for 3 years.

Rod was adventurous and free spirited which in the ‘70s led him to take up hang gliding. He was an accomplished flyer covering the terrain in Owens Valley, CA and internationally in the Swiss and Austrian Alps, and Spain where he took up residency. In the early 2000’s Rod returned to Santa Cruz where he lived in the house he built until his passing in January.

Rod was the cousin of the late Ramona Kuhnle Talbot (Harry), and is survived by his cousins Carol Talbot, Kurt Talbot (Marilyn), Christopher Talbot, Alexandra Wood (Wayne and Kaley), and Erika Talbot.

The Santa Cruz Surfing Club Preservation Society will be holding a paddle-out in Rod’s memory on Sat, May 28, 2016.