Long time Ventura, Ca sailor John R. “Dick” Velthoen, 76, passed away last week. One of the better sailors in the region with an outsized personality to match his outsized physical stature, Velthoen leaves a legacy of energy, influenece and a love of sailing.
The Ed knew Velthoen as a kid growing up in Oxnard. “Dick was just that very rare guy – a big, strapping good looking guy with an incredible enthusiasm for all things racing. He was a real force in both the sport and the community. I raced a lot against and with Dick, and one of my most memorable times was racing with Dick, Donna Fairfield and my dad on his Morgan 27 White Lightnin‘. It was supposed to be around Santa Cruz Island, but while beating up the inside of the Island in about 20 true, the rig broke. We motored back home, all sitting in the cockpit wrapped in sleeping bags drinking wine and acting like we didn’t have a care in the world. He just had a way of leading with his personality.”
A fun guy who loved life and one who wasn’t afraid to go out and grab it. He will be missed. Full obituary can be found here.
