Rod Caborn, 66, passed away peacefully at his home on January 11, 2026, after a two-year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). He was surrounded by his adoring family: his wife of 40 years, Kelly (Brady) Caborn; their two daughters, Kenzie (Caborn) DeCicco (Joe DeCicco) and Cassie Caborn (Garrett Schmid); and his mother-in-law, Beverly Brady.

Rod was born on the east coast of England in the small town of Lowestoft. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Business Studies from Sheffield University, where his grit on the rugby field led to his recruitment to play professionally in Barcelona, Spain. As team captain, Rod led FC Barcelona to a national championship.

While in Barcelona, Rod met Kelly, who eventually brought him home to Santa Cruz as her favorite “souvenir.” There, they raised their two daughters, Kenzie and Cassie, who quickly transformed him from a rugby-playing macho man into a self-proclaimed “girl dad” — one you might have recognized as “Drosselmeyer” in the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre production of The Nutcracker for the past two decades.

Rod had a deep love of language and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Linguistics from San Jose State University, where he wrote a compelling thesis on the critical role that the word “arse” plays in the English language. Together with his creative partner, Amie Forest, Rod also co-created FUN-ETICS™, a joyful series of children’s books designed to help young readers discover the magic of language through playful poetry.

In 1993, Rod founded First Class Fundraising. As a professional emcee and auctioneer, he became a beloved fixture in the community, famously known as the “Magazine Guy,” the “Event Gent,” and the vibrantly dressed, gregarious Brit who never shied away from a microphone. Bringing magnetic charisma, humor, and heart to every event, Rod raised over $50 million for local and national schools and nonprofit organizations.

Rod’s boundless energy extended far beyond his professional life. His athletic accomplishments included completing the Los Cabos Ironman, running the American River 50-mile ultra-marathon on his 50th birthday, qualifying for the Boston Marathon, swimming from Alcatraz to San Francisco, and annual bike-packing adventures with his buddies. Perhaps his most impressive feat, however, was learning how to ballroom dance with Kelly’s lead.

He was a dedicated member of the Santa Cruz Sunrise Rotary Club for over 20 years, living out Rotary’s motto, “Service Above Self.” He was also a proud Ambassador for the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce. Rod’s extraordinary contributions to the community were recently recognized by the City of Santa Cruz, The County of Santa Cruz, and The State of California, declaring November 20, 2025 as “Rod Caborn Day.” His achievements were also recognized nationally and read into the permanent Congressional Record by Congressman Jimmy Panetta.

A celebration of Rod’s remarkable life will be held at 2:00 PM on April 19, 2026 at The Grove: Santa Cruz Event Center, 400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. All are welcome to attend in their brightest, most over-the-top outfits to honor the man who made every room brighter. Find event details here https://partiful.com/e/tDVxeHCInekB96YbBLzZ?c=G2rwH0FR

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The ALS Network, an organization that provided Rod and his family with compassionate support, guidance, and a sense of community throughout his journey with ALS. https://alsnetwork.org/