Thrasher Magazine

 

RIP IN PEACETim "Dorfus" McDougall 10/25/78 - 12/23/17 The gnarliest skaters are always the nicest people. I remember when Dorfus started coming to the States. It was around the fall of 2001 and he was charging through new lines at Burnside, casually cruising through the flat but pure power whenever he would hit the lip. We were in awe. Dorfus was everything you would imagine an Aussie to be: his life revolved around camping, skating and BBQing. His accent was so thick, he once asked for a bag of ice at a grocery store and they brought him a bag of rice. He clarified and said he was looking for “frozen water in cubed form.” You wouldn’t see Dorfus just under the Burnside Bridge; he would be at all the local punk shows and parties, too. If there was a house party, he brought the beer. If there was a BBQ, he showed up with extra meat to throw on the grill. I don’t think he knew what a vegetable tasted like.

Dorfus traveled back and forth between Adelaide and the US for several years ’til he decided to put down roots in Portland, Oregon. He married Evette Reyes, a punker girl, and together they had a set of twins, Murray and Emma. Oregon and Washington seemed to be the perfect place for him. New skateparks were popping up almost every other month. It seemed Monk and Red were making the parks gnarlier just so Dorfus would stay. There was a day on Orcas Island when a bottle of whisky was put on the line if he could grind every single block of coping in the park, 274 in total. After a couple of hours and over 100 grinds, Dorfus was putting an Indy truck to the final piece, a three-inch-wide piece of Penrose at the end of an extension. Later on that night the bottle of whisky was passed around a campfire on the beach.

Dorfus could have easily been sponsored but instead he chose to work construction and build skateparks. His travels around the world were self-funded, but as the kids got older it was time to pack it up and bring Evette and the kids to OZ. Between working full time, raising the twins and being a family man, he would still find the time to grind through a set of trucks every year. A part in Hoon’s 2016 video #ShitKunce reminded us that he was still going strong. Unfortunately, on the morning of December 23, 2017, Dorfus suffered a heart attack and passed in his sleep. If anyone deserves a slab of pool coping as a tombstone it would be Tim “Dorfus” McDougall. —Joe Hammeke

My heart goes out to all his friends and family. Tim "Dorfus" McDougall showed up at the Big Bowl one day and he ripped it harder than anybody—ever! He was Faster, stronger—heavy fuckin' revs. Fuck, I remember thinking to myself, "Does he even know how gnarly that was?" I Thought I was gonna show him some lines, but I ended up sitting down to watch the show. I saw him rip it a goddamn new asshole. He did 5-0s in places nobody ever even grinded before, like it was a skatepark pool or somethin'. If you've ever been there, you know it's not. Forever rip in peace, brother, charger. You'll be remenbered as the gnarliest of the gnarliest, hands down. —Mark Hubbard

GODDAMN IT. Tim “Dorfus” McDougall, you inspired me at a time when nothing else did. You dropped in and everything in your path fell into place with power and grace, on and off your board. Contagious laughter and tough as nails, you set an example and everyone who was lucky enough to share it will never forget. Bloody fucking legend. You and Preston cheers-ing over a BBQ is what I’m seeing. RIP in peace, Tim. —Willis Kimbel

I am truly devastated to learn that Tim "Dorfus" McDougall has moved on and left this beautiful world. He was a true friend and one of the most ultimate and best fellas to ever ride a skateboard. He skated the gnarliest terrain with ease, like it was a mini ramp. He always had a huge smile and was always down to have a beer and skate with everyone! Off board, he was an honest, hard-working, loving husband and father of two beautiful children who I am sure will grow up to be just as kind, warm and loving as their father. I am beyond stoked and honored to have had a friend like Tim in my life. He was a true natural and unique individual in this world and it was a pleasure to shoot photos of him. You are a true hero and an inspiration to me and all of us. Until we meet again, cheers, my friend. —Pod, Sauce Zine

These are shit times for OZ skating and skating in general. Tim was one of my favorites and a great mate. —Jackson Pilz

Carve grind in Florence, Oregon

Early-release frontside air over the channel, Klamath Falls, Oregon

Dorfus did a lot of tricks on the back wall of the square bowl at Burnside. This Smith grind is just one of the many

Corner air in an Oregon backyard bowl

Boneless over the hip at Aumsville, Oregon

One more trick on the back wall of the square bowl, sweeper at Burnside

Smith grind in the crow’s nest, Burnside

Ollie from the elbow to the curb quarter, Burnside

Smith grind, Klamath Falls, Oregon

Every year the Aussies would come visit they bought a cheap car. This was the Cunt Smasher V, bought for $1,000 Canadian dollars in 2005. When exiting the freeway, the transmission would stick and need to cool off at the end of the ramp

When in Fresno, it’s bound to get weird. Ray’s bowl, 2005

Lien to tail, Ted’s pool, Fresno, CA

Crailslide, Ted’s pool, Fresno, CA

Tailslide, Klamath Falls hotel pool

Over the hip and through the corner, Tigard, OR


Your favorite skater’s favorite skater—Independent trucks 30th anniversary tour stop in Lincoln City, OR

When the gnarliest skaters ride the smallest terrain, the fountain of youth, Tempe, AZ 2008

Boardslide through the shallow end, Adam’s pool, Scottsdale, AZ

Deathbox grind, Powerline pool, Phoenix, AZ

Lipslide, Powerline pool, Phoenix, AZ


Construction work, Portland, OR, 2008

Pure power

Tim and Evette

5-0 off the extension at Lincoln City, OR

Lipslide in the crow’s nest, Burnside

Dorfus was one of the first to hit this new addition at Burnside in 2006, 50-50 up and off

Ollie over the loveseat at Orcas Island, after grinding every block in the park

5-0 Myrtle Creek, OR

Frontside air, Lincoln City, OR

Dorfus and Murray

Dorfus and Murray

Ready to go to work

Thumbs up

Dorfus, Evette, Murray and Emma

Scooby-Doo was filmed in Queensland, Australia. The original stunt double who got the role for the skateboarding scenes in movie couldn’t skate the ramps they made. The ramp builders told the director that they had a friend named Dorfus who could handle the skateboarding stunts. Dorfus was put on the next flight from Adelaide to Queensland and handled it with ease. If you check around the 2:30 mark in this clip you’ll recognize that frontside grind as pure Dorfus.



Hoon’s #ShitKunce video