The World has lost another Legend. Nick Icorn

[kgehring]

Nick Icorn

No better way to celebrate Christmas than in the presence of Christ. Nick Icorn fell asleep this morning and woke in heaven. The Scuba Industry has lost an icon. He will be greatly missed by his peers, family, and friends. A small memorial will be held at Forest Lawn, Cypress, California on Saturday December 28 at 9 a.m.
Nick was born in Hollywood, California. He always had an interest in the ocean. From the age of eight he would go tent camping on southern California beaches. He learned to swim in the Huntington Beach surf and in the pool by the pier. He entered high school in 1943. He was kicked out of the Merchant Marines when they found out he had lied about his age and was only 14. His mother helped him enlist in the United States Marines in 1944. He served in the Philippines and Saipan in the aftermath of WWII.
He married Marilyn in 1950. His diving career began one day at her uncle’s home where in a pool he donned a mask and fins for the first time.
Nick was part of the first formal Underwater Instructors Course. He holds Instructor certifications from the YMCA, Los Angeles County, NAUI, SSI, PADI and NASDS. In 1969 he became the first Executive Director of PADI developing programs and standards. Under his leadership their instructor base went from 234 to over 12,000 worldwide. He wrote numerous training manuals for the industry including the first, “Standards and Procedures Manual,” and the “Basic Scuba Course,” and the, “Course Director’s Manual.”
He worked for many of the US diving manufacturers including US Cavalero, Ocean Dynamics, Healthways, US Divers, and Sherwood Selpac as an engineer helping in the design evolution of diving equipment.
His honors include two NOGI awards, the DEMA Reaching Out Award, The California Scuba Service Award, the Conrad Limbaugh Memorial Award, and International Legends of Diving Award. He was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and the NAUI Hall of Honor.
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Maldives, Belize, Hawaii and of course Southern California are some of the places he has been diving. His only diving accident was in the 1970’s in the Bahamas when he suffered the bends.
He has volunteered hundreds of hours lecturing on the evolution of diving, and often displays pieces from his vast collection of vintage diving equipment.

[Popeye]

THanks for posting,I got an email from left coast earlier,but no details...

[Bryan]

Nick and Alec Piece Legends event 2008

[Robohips77]

My prayers and thoughts are with the family. It was an honor and pleasure to have met and had the opportunity to sit and talk diving with him. We will all see you in the oceans Nick.

[1969ivan1]

He was an all around great fellow. He will be missed.

[Bryan]

Photo from his service on Saturday

[Ron]

A man who faked his birth certificate so he could get into WWII while under the age of 18, and A man who had both SCUBA bubbles AND jump wings. I enjoyed listening to him speak with such passion and intellect about diving.

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem."

-Ronald Reagan