Wayne Eugene Overbeck

Wayne Eugene Overbeck, age 82, of Tustin, California, died peacefully on April 12, 2025 in Orange County, California, with his family by his side.

Wayne was born January 3, 1943 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, to Rita Rae Garrett and Luther Benjamin Joseph Overbeck. After early years in Kansas City, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas, Wayne moved to Manhattan Beach, California where he attended Center School, and Mira Costa High School, graduating in the Class of 1960. Wayne earned an associate degree from El Camino College, a bachelor’s degree from Whittier College, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of California-Los Angeles, and a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School. Wayne was an active member of the California Bar Association for over 40 years.

For 37 years, Wayne was a communications law professor primarily at California State University (CSU) Fullerton, and also at Pepperdine University and the University of Southern California. During this time, he worked briefly as an attorney for the National Association of Broadcasting. At CSU Fullerton, Wayne served as the first faculty advisor for the student newspaper, The Daily Titan. For over 20 years, Wayne published a college textbook Major Principles of Media Law which was widely adopted by colleges across the United States. In 2002, Wayne retired from CSU Fullerton as Professor Emeritus. During his academic career, Wayne contributed significantly to the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC), providing the keynote law update for 28 years at the annual conference in Morro Bay. Wayne also earned numerous accolades including the Distinguished Service Award from the JACC and was recognized as one of El Camino College’s 50 outstanding alumni. In 2011, the JACC created the Wayne Overbeck Free Speech Award to honor excellence in community college journalism.

Wayne had many passions, and his longest standing one was amateur radio. His call sign was N6NB. Wayne earned his amateur radio license in 1957. He built his first station in his bedroom in Manhattan Beach, and then in every subsequent home, numerous vehicles, suitcases, toolboxes, etc. He invented the Quagi antenna. He was elected to and served four terms as the Vice Director of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) from 1984 to 1993, was Chairman of the ARRL Contest Advisory Committee, and a lifetime member of the ARRL. Wayne won many awards, most notably a two-time winner of the John Chambers Award (1978 and 2015) for contributions and accomplishments in amateur radio. He was an active participant in VHF contesting, earning high scores contest after contest. Wayne set and currently holds the world record for radio communications in the 902, 2304, and 3456 MHz bands between California and Hawaii using atmospheric ducting. He was a popular and frequent speaker at amateur radio conferences nationwide. Wayne’s contributions to amateur radio are chronicled at www.n6nb.com. 73 and 88 to you, N6NB/Silent Key.

Wayne was a friend and mentor to many people, through his journalism and teaching career, lifelong involvement in amateur radio, his commitment to the Mira Costa High School alumni association, and in his decades-long friendships that he maintained by consistently keeping in touch, showing up, and being involved. Wayne was also a pilot, a sailor, cabin-builder, real estate broker, marriage and family mediator, computer programmer, and a amateur radio engineer. He had a witty sense of humor and was famously determined. He valued freedom, hard work, and following through on promises. Wayne loved the ocean, animals, taking naps, and bittersweet hot fudge sundaes. Wayne met Carrie in 2008 and they settled in as life partners in 2010, eventually marrying in 2023. Wayne and Carrie had many adventures together, including road trips, radio contests, concerts, family visits to the east coast, property and home improvement projects, and regular trips to the beach.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents and cousin Bonnie Finn. Wayne is survived by his spouse Carrie; daughter Lara, her mother Helen, and step-mother Donna; sister-in-law Marie; members of extended family; and lifelong friends.A memorial service will be held in early summer in Tustin.Contributions can be made in Wayne’s honor to the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, The Daily Titan at CSU Fullerton, the American Radio Relay League, or the California Historical Radio Society.