Funeral arrangements made for Tod Surmon

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
01/05/2000


Funeral arrangements made for Tod Surmon, 26, Stanford All-American and freestyle star who died, Jan. 1 

Funeral arrangements have been made for Tod Surmon of Menlo Park, Calif., 26, an All-American wrestler from Stanford University and a talented freestyle wrestler, who died from an accident during the New Year's Eve celebration in Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 1. Surmon climbed a light tower near the Paris Hotel, and fell to his death.

Surmon, a member of the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club, was training for the opportunity to try out for the 2000 U.S. Olympic team in freestyle wrestling. He had placed third in the prestigious 1999 ASU/Sunkist Kids International Open in Phoenix, Ariz. in October. He held a No. 7 national ranking at 152 pounds in the December 1999 USA Wrestling Senior Freestyle Rankings.

Surmon served as a volunteer assistant wrestling coach at his alma mater, Stanford Univ., working under head coach Chris Horpel. He was an All-American wrestler at Stanford, placing seventh at the 1996 NCAA Championships, and was also the 1996 Pac-10 champion.

He is originally from Albany, Ore., where he was a 1990 Oregon state high school wrestling champion for West Albany High School. Surmon was active in USA Wrestling's age-group programs, earning all-American honors on the Junior, Espoir and University levels.

The Funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, on the corner of 2nd and Airport Rd., in Lebanon, Oregon. There will also be a 10:00 a.m. wrestling practice at Tod's High School (West Albany High School) in Albany, Oregon, Saturday, January, 8.

Cards can be sent to his parents address at: David and Linda Surmon, 1265 NE Linnwood Dr., Albany, OR 97321-4450.