OCBob
VIPER POWERED
Damn, another memorial service yesterday. I'm really getting tired of going to these things. John was one of the first people I met when I moved out here. We spent many a night shoulder to shoulder at a bar swapping stories and trading lies hehe. John spent a lot of time teaching me to wakeboard, and he was another of the locals here that I convinced to buy a bike and ride with us. There was a great turnout yesterday for him, probably between 3-400 folks from all walks of life. I'll miss John, and will always remember him saying "no worries mate" about just about everything.
He had some serious acclomplishments in his life, many of them in the automotive field. He died doing what he loved best.
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John Kell, a longtime resident since 1984, died Thursday, August 8, at the age of 69. Services will be held Sunday, August 19, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Lodge. The family is inviting all those who knew him to attend.
Considered a pioneer of waterskiing in the early days of Canyon Lake and a member of the Ski Club for more than 30 years, John had his last ski run on August 8, before collapsing at the North Ski Area dock.
John Morton, Jr. was his last driver and said he ran -22, -28, -32 on his first three passes, followed by two attempts at 35-off where he scored 2 ½ buoys – a very good run for John, according to friends.
While talking to a friend about his run, John collapsed and the paramedics were summoned. Although they arrived within five minutes and attempted to revive him for 20 minutes before transporting him to Inland Valley Medical Center, they were not able to save him. According to his fiancée Michele Freas, the cause of death was determined to be arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (hardening of the arteries).
Though many Canyon Lake Ski Club members were competing at nationals in Arvin, California, news of John’s death spread quickly to them. His friends remember the three-event skier of jump, trick and slalom, as a upbeat character. His longtime friend Greg Remsen says, “Canyon Lake lost a bit of color with John’s passing." Many remember him as a fixture on Friday nights at the Country Club and the Lodge.
Born to Catherine and John William Kell on September 21, 1938, John was raised in Newcastle, England with his siblings. From an early age they had to endure the terror and hardships of World War II. Newcastle was an important industrial town whose industries included coal mining, shipbuilding and armament factories such as Vickers Armstrong, a prime target for German bombing raids. He and his siblings were eventually sent to the countryside for safety, but even there they had to go without many things, such as proper food. According to his son Anthony, his father’s early experiences shaped his crusty and engaging personality for many years to come.
John was an intelligent and gifted student who excelled in mathematics and had dreamed of becoming an architect but in the end settled on a career in mechanical design engineering. He spent most of his 20s in the automobile industry working for Ford Motor Company in London and Anglo Magnets in Carlisle, England.
It was at Anglo that Anthony says he did some of his most brilliant design work culminating in a British Empire award that was bestowed on him by the Duke of Edinbrough, the Queen’s husband. Among his original designs was the safety belt locking mechanism that is a standard feature in most automobiles today, a design way ahead of its time. He also worked on the design of the original Mini Cooper front fenders.
After a business trip to Los Angeles in the early '70s, he fell immediately in love with California and the endless opportunities it offered – not only for his career but recreationally as well, especially waterskiing, his greatest passion. He first started skiing at Lake Ullswater in Northern England.
Son Anthony remembers when he was a kid his father owned a little outboard motor boat that could barely pull him up. He says, “You basically had to stand there with one foot in the water on the edge of the beach and the other hovering above the water with the ski on it while the boat built up enough speed to get you skiing. It was a real hoot.”
John bought his first Mastercraft in 1976 and ran a ski school at Lake Castaic for Cal State Northridge. Although he didn’t make a dime, according to Anthony, it was one of the best summers of his life and he said he wouldn’t have traded those memories for anything. He eventually went on to work for Taperflex Water Ski Company in San Fernando. He was involved in all aspects of the water ski industry from sales, conventions, ski design and ski tournaments around the country, sponsoring the likes of Sammy Duvall and Joel McClintock.
Some of his innovations included tapering the backs of skis to make the ski turn faster, all before the wings now used to help the ski slow down and turn. He also worked on the Apex ski and designed the high wrap binding (wet boot), as well as doing design work for Jobe water skis.
He first came to Canyon Lake in 1974. He moved here full time in 1984 and, as many residents know, became a permanent icon at the lake. He stayed as competitive as ever, participating in as many ski tournaments as he could over the years and winning many trophies. During those years he also worked in the motor home industry. As he did with all his endeavors, he brought to it unbridled enthusiasm and innovation to help improve the design of many of the contemporary motorhomes that are seen today.
Wayne Canfield, John’s longtime friend, says he was quite a character who liked to talk a lot and had good ideas about skiing. He recalled a time at the Berkeley Water Park getting ready to ski when John walked up with both his shins skinned up.
When Wayne asked, “What happened to you?” John told him some kids had taken his wallet and he had successfully chased them down through the bushes. Wayne chuckles when he tells the story as he thinks about the unfortunate boys.
John loved to travel, especially to Mexico and Acapulco. He was also an avid snow skier and body builder. According to his friends and family, he loved to eat good food and drink beer, hang out, flirt, shoot the breeze and party hard with all his beloved friends.
They are consoled to know that his passing was painless and his life ended doing what he enjoyed best on the slalom course. They also remember him as a great man, leader, father, grandfather and friend who will be sorely missed by everyone.
John is survived by fiancée Michele Freas; son, Dr. Anthony Kell and daughter-in-law Carolyn; daughter, Elaine Robson; grandchildren, Emily, Luke and Elizabeth; brother, David Kell; and sister, Anne Davenport and brother-in-law Harold.
A trust fund has been established in John’s memory and donations can be made to the John Kell Memorial Trust Fund, Bank of America, 29987 Canyon Hills Rd., Lake Elsinore, CA 92532.
He had some serious acclomplishments in his life, many of them in the automotive field. He died doing what he loved best.
*********************************************
John Kell, a longtime resident since 1984, died Thursday, August 8, at the age of 69. Services will be held Sunday, August 19, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Lodge. The family is inviting all those who knew him to attend.
Considered a pioneer of waterskiing in the early days of Canyon Lake and a member of the Ski Club for more than 30 years, John had his last ski run on August 8, before collapsing at the North Ski Area dock.
John Morton, Jr. was his last driver and said he ran -22, -28, -32 on his first three passes, followed by two attempts at 35-off where he scored 2 ½ buoys – a very good run for John, according to friends.
While talking to a friend about his run, John collapsed and the paramedics were summoned. Although they arrived within five minutes and attempted to revive him for 20 minutes before transporting him to Inland Valley Medical Center, they were not able to save him. According to his fiancée Michele Freas, the cause of death was determined to be arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (hardening of the arteries).
Though many Canyon Lake Ski Club members were competing at nationals in Arvin, California, news of John’s death spread quickly to them. His friends remember the three-event skier of jump, trick and slalom, as a upbeat character. His longtime friend Greg Remsen says, “Canyon Lake lost a bit of color with John’s passing." Many remember him as a fixture on Friday nights at the Country Club and the Lodge.
Born to Catherine and John William Kell on September 21, 1938, John was raised in Newcastle, England with his siblings. From an early age they had to endure the terror and hardships of World War II. Newcastle was an important industrial town whose industries included coal mining, shipbuilding and armament factories such as Vickers Armstrong, a prime target for German bombing raids. He and his siblings were eventually sent to the countryside for safety, but even there they had to go without many things, such as proper food. According to his son Anthony, his father’s early experiences shaped his crusty and engaging personality for many years to come.
John was an intelligent and gifted student who excelled in mathematics and had dreamed of becoming an architect but in the end settled on a career in mechanical design engineering. He spent most of his 20s in the automobile industry working for Ford Motor Company in London and Anglo Magnets in Carlisle, England.
It was at Anglo that Anthony says he did some of his most brilliant design work culminating in a British Empire award that was bestowed on him by the Duke of Edinbrough, the Queen’s husband. Among his original designs was the safety belt locking mechanism that is a standard feature in most automobiles today, a design way ahead of its time. He also worked on the design of the original Mini Cooper front fenders.
After a business trip to Los Angeles in the early '70s, he fell immediately in love with California and the endless opportunities it offered – not only for his career but recreationally as well, especially waterskiing, his greatest passion. He first started skiing at Lake Ullswater in Northern England.
Son Anthony remembers when he was a kid his father owned a little outboard motor boat that could barely pull him up. He says, “You basically had to stand there with one foot in the water on the edge of the beach and the other hovering above the water with the ski on it while the boat built up enough speed to get you skiing. It was a real hoot.”
John bought his first Mastercraft in 1976 and ran a ski school at Lake Castaic for Cal State Northridge. Although he didn’t make a dime, according to Anthony, it was one of the best summers of his life and he said he wouldn’t have traded those memories for anything. He eventually went on to work for Taperflex Water Ski Company in San Fernando. He was involved in all aspects of the water ski industry from sales, conventions, ski design and ski tournaments around the country, sponsoring the likes of Sammy Duvall and Joel McClintock.
Some of his innovations included tapering the backs of skis to make the ski turn faster, all before the wings now used to help the ski slow down and turn. He also worked on the Apex ski and designed the high wrap binding (wet boot), as well as doing design work for Jobe water skis.
He first came to Canyon Lake in 1974. He moved here full time in 1984 and, as many residents know, became a permanent icon at the lake. He stayed as competitive as ever, participating in as many ski tournaments as he could over the years and winning many trophies. During those years he also worked in the motor home industry. As he did with all his endeavors, he brought to it unbridled enthusiasm and innovation to help improve the design of many of the contemporary motorhomes that are seen today.
Wayne Canfield, John’s longtime friend, says he was quite a character who liked to talk a lot and had good ideas about skiing. He recalled a time at the Berkeley Water Park getting ready to ski when John walked up with both his shins skinned up.
When Wayne asked, “What happened to you?” John told him some kids had taken his wallet and he had successfully chased them down through the bushes. Wayne chuckles when he tells the story as he thinks about the unfortunate boys.
John loved to travel, especially to Mexico and Acapulco. He was also an avid snow skier and body builder. According to his friends and family, he loved to eat good food and drink beer, hang out, flirt, shoot the breeze and party hard with all his beloved friends.
They are consoled to know that his passing was painless and his life ended doing what he enjoyed best on the slalom course. They also remember him as a great man, leader, father, grandfather and friend who will be sorely missed by everyone.
John is survived by fiancée Michele Freas; son, Dr. Anthony Kell and daughter-in-law Carolyn; daughter, Elaine Robson; grandchildren, Emily, Luke and Elizabeth; brother, David Kell; and sister, Anne Davenport and brother-in-law Harold.
A trust fund has been established in John’s memory and donations can be made to the John Kell Memorial Trust Fund, Bank of America, 29987 Canyon Hills Rd., Lake Elsinore, CA 92532.
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