Bunker Spreckels | |
---|---|
Born | Adolph Bernard Spreckels III August 15, 1949
Los Angeles County,
California, U.S. |
Died | January 7, 1977 | (aged 27)
Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendal)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California |
Known for | Surfing |
Parent(s) |
Kay Williams Adolph Bernard Spreckels II |
Relatives |
Clark Gable (stepfather) Claus Spreckels (great-grandfather) |
Bunker Spreckels (born Adolph Bernard Spreckels III; August 15, 1949 – January 7, 1977) was an American surfer and an early pioneer of a surfboard design.
He was the great-grandson of German-born sugar baron Claus Spreckels and was heir to the Spreckels Sugar fortune. [1] Spreckels became the stepson of Clark Gable when his mother married the actor. [2]
Spreckels met surf photographer Art Brewer in 1969 at the surf spot known as Banzai Pipeline while Brewer was on a three-month photo shoot for Surfer magazine. [2]
Spreckels was born in Los Angeles County, California. His mother was Kay Spreckels (née Kathleen Williams), a former fashion model and actress. His father was sugar-refining heir Adolph Bernard Spreckels, Jr. Clark Gable was his stepfather, and his great-grandfather was Claus Spreckels, who came to America from Germany as Claus von Spreckelson. [1]
Bunker inherited his family fortune on his 21st birthday. [1]
Bunker died of a morphine overdose on January 7, 1977, at the age of 27. [3]
He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. [4]