John Ellis Olvey was born September 14, 1954, in Pasadena, Texas, to Joseph Richard (Joe) and Joan Southard Olvey of Houston, Texas. He passed away on October 13, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Yvonne Peters Olvey, of Corpus Christi, and his brother Joseph (Joe) Olvey of Volcano, Hawaii; his nephew Nick Olvey of Mililani, Hawaii; niece Haley Marie Olvey of South Lake Tahoe, California and nephew Russell Olvey of South Lake, Tahoe, California. John Olvey was a great son to his mom Joan Olvey. John loved and honored her.

John is known as a gifted and inspiring artist, a phenomenal surfer, a pioneer in the surfing scene, a faithful servant of Christ, a genuinely lovely, humble, and kind person, a devoted husband, a caring uncle, and a generous patron to causes like the Texas Gulf Surfing Association, Texas Surf Museum, Texas Surfrider Foundation, and Church Unlimited. He was a friend, neighbor, legendary national surf champion, and true patron for the local arts and culture scene. With the kindest of souls, he always sported a warm smile and was at the ready with a witty story or two.

At the age of ten, he crafted his first surfboard in his family's dining room with the generous support of his mother. John set off on a journey that would mold his art and his character. John spent more than 40 years as a competitive surfer, although his love for the board morphed into a passion for upcycling vintage boards into one-of-a-kind, hand-carved, deeply sculpted images of the coastal scene.

In 1969 at the age of 15, he submitted a work of art and won 1st place in a Texas state-wide art competition. He attended Ross S. Sterling High School in Baytown, TX, in 1973 and graduated with Honors. He attended The University of Houston from 1975 - 1980. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Hotel & Restaurant Management and minoring in art.

During his high school years, John met and made lifelong friendships. One memory from a friend says John spent more time on academics than his friend circle. When asked if he would choose to take Art or Algebra, John replied both! We all had surf fever. Board designs were changing almost weekly. John was very analytical, so he planned to modify everything to improve performance. His theories were hysterical.

John's enduring love for art and the sport of surfing remained intertwined in his artwork, a compilation of his life experience. John's works have appeared in local, state, and national shows, with several art museum exhibitions to his credit.

Most recently, John's legacy continued at Church Unlimited, where he not only volunteered his Sundays to connect kids to Christ but literally painted the very walls and halls with inspiring imaging.

A Celebration of Life will occur on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at noon at North Packery Channel/JP Luby Jetties. His surfing friends will hold a traditional surfer's paddle out to distribute John's ashes and place flower leis in honor of John's life and legacy. A reception will follow from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Kokomo Yacht Club at Aruba Bay, 15034 Aruba Bay, Corpus Christi.

In Lieu of Flowers, For friends, family, and fans who would like to make a donation to honor John's memory, you may do so by clicking the link below. All donations will go to organizations, associations and charities John supported.