Culver City High Graduate Courtland Tune dies at 66

October 14, 1958 - November 16, 2024 C. Van Tune, 66, of Encinitas, CA, peacefully passed away at home on November 16,after a lengthy illness.

Van was born on October 14, 1958, to Betty Joy (née Aldridge) and Jack Henry Tune in Garden Grove, CA, and spent his early years in and around Culver City. After graduating from Culver City High School in 1976, he studied at University of California (UC) Irvine and UC Riverside and graduated in 1980.

With his bachelor's in photojournalism, he soon secured his first job at McMullen Publishing, launching his career in automotive journalism. In 1981, Van joined Argus Publishers to work on their flagship magazine, Popular Hot Rodding. Over the years, he built a successful career in the industry, which included the privilege of working for Carroll Shelby (the premiere American performance car manufacturer, racing driver, and entrepreneur). In 1991, those years of experience and finely tuned skills led him to his dream job (since he was ten years old) – working for Motor Trend magazine for ten years, where he served as Editor-in-chief for seven.

Van left Motor Trend to become the host/presenter of the ESPN TV show Drive for five seasons, and the automotive expert of NBC's Today Show, for six years. His on-camera reporting & interview venues included TV news programs in the Top-10 media markets, as well as CNBC Business and the NBC Sports Network.

In retirement, Van's hobbies included anything and everything about cars, writing guest articles and film scripts, and traveling.

Van is survived by his cherished fiancée, Elisabeth Anne Ewing; Elisabeth's sister and brother-in-law, Kelli and Gary Glover; cousins, Linda Gail Aldridge and Bona Angelica Quarles; Elisabeth's niece and nephew dearly loved by Van, Maggi Coughlin and Ian Glover; and his friend from when they were three years of age, Mike Collins. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by countless friends made over a lifetime of fast cars and fun times.

A celebration of life is being planned for a later date (2025). In lieu of flowers, philanthropic gifts in memory of Courtland Van Tune can be made to Moores Cancer Center Fund #7731 to support the work of Dr. Luda Bazhenova.