Ian Poods Barry

Was a kid that was in constant motion whether it was skating, surfing, hiking, camping and in the last few years building and riding vintage Harleys. These were just a few of the ways he always kept “Rollin”. Ian was intense about his passions and focused his energy on doing the things he loved to do. Ian competitively surfed while in junior high and high school. He claimed 2nd place at the National Scholastic Surfing Association championships when he was 14. Ian started skateboarding when he was in 2nd grade. He bought his first board at a garage sale for three bucks. Ian was relentless when it came to learning new tricks. He continued to skate throughout his life. Ian worked at the Encinitas YMCA as a skateboard instructor where he loved teaching kids how to skate. In his last few years, he worked at Brixton where he developed many wonderful friendships and truly felt a part of the Brixton family.

More importantly Ian made people that he came to know feel like their “best friend”. He had a quiet, humble, disarming charm combined with an attitude of accepting everyone for exactly who they were without judgment. He truly made you feel better when you were around him. We think his personal struggles simply made him more compassionate and accepting. Ian always tried to see the good in people but never understood acts of unkindness. An enduring image of Ian for all those who knew him was his hint of a smile and flash of the peace sign.

"A love for choppers, his 1969 Iron Head, surfing, skateboarding and most importantly friends made him one of the best dudes I knew. If it was the hard way, it was his way." His OCD, little quirks, fear of driving cars and disdain for condiments, though would sound like negative attributes, were what made up his charm. All the weird things, from collecting nuts and bolts to bikes he had yet to own, to carrying around crumpled up pictures of Gen-Shovels from years past, his little shuffle dance he would do whenever he got excited, the suede vest, boots, the large brimmed hat, the massive amounts of Murrays pomade enveloping his curly hair and his shades resting lightly above his head were just a few of the things that made Poods, unmistakably “Poods”. The 90s baby with an old soul made a deep impact on that many lives that surrounded him in his 22 short years on this earth. May he rest in peace. Chopper Love." - Jay Lee