Yancy Bailey Spencer III (1950–2011) was a surfer from Pensacola

Pensacola

Pensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 who was widely regarded as the father of Gulf Coast surfing.

Family

One of Yancy's brothers, John S. Spencer, is the pastor of a Christian church, Calvary Chapel Gulf Breeze. His other brother, J.B. Schluter, is a Gulf Breeze, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 City Council member. He has three children, his daughter an actress Abigail Spencer-Pruitt and two sons Yancy Spencer IV and pro surfer Sterling Spencer. Yancy also has one granddaughter Britney Spencer-Sosebee, and grandson Roman Pruitt.

Death

Yancy passed away while surfing at County Line, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, on Valentine's Day 2011. The cause of death was thought to be due to a major heart attack.