Paul Vandevert

Paulsen King Vandevert, Paul, died at home of a heart attack on March 14, 2023.  By all indications, he did not suffer. 

Born in San Francisco August 10, 1958, he was truly the apple of his parents’ eyes - Alan Paulsen Vandevert and Elodie, nee King.  His brother John followed in 1960.  Alan’s work as a lawyer took them to Tacoma, WA in the early 1960’s and Paul’s sister Margaret was born there in 1964.  The family home was on Tacoma’s C Street for many years.

Paul’s mother was an active manager of her children and while she whole heartedly believed in public school education, when Paul was ‘required’ to read Shakespeare via a video he was pulled from the local school and enrolled in Charles Wright Academy.  His experience there can only be imaged, but he was sorely missed when after junior year, he left, on his own accord to attend Bryanston School in Dorset, UK .  Alas, we are not privy to the details of all that happened there, knowing only that it was life transforming and enriching. Paul thought he would remain in England, but Alan did not agree, so Paul applied to Columbia College as an ‘in his father’s face kind of move’ because it wasn’t Stanford yet knew Alan would pay for the choice. (Fathers and Sons – title already taken.)   What Alan could never imagine nor ever understand were the friendships, the deep and long lasting friends Paul gained while attending Columbia and the love and loyalty he gave and received.

With life in the dorms and at the theatre at Barnard College’s Minor Latham Playhouse, Paul met friends who would stand the test of time.  He could walk in a room with them in 2020 with conversations as fresh as hanging out on 116th and Broadway in the 1980’s and that is not because he majored in Comparative Literature!

After Columbia he worked as a paralegal in New York at Davis Polk & Wardwell, travelled around for cases, including a long stint in DC living in the Watergate (because clients paid for that back then) and applied to grad school.  Rejected by the Yale School of Drama, he struck back by applying to law school and attended Case Western Reserve, getting by with gentleman C’s – an era that no longer exists.   There too his law school friendships were deep and long lasting.  Paul was like that.   His friend Richard Wortman introduced him to Customs Law – and the rest is history. 

Paul had his profession.  In 1994 he was hired by General Motors and moved to Michigan.  He was at headquarters, but he had to understand the business.  Boy, did he love a factory tour!  The writer of this missive cannot remember what GM made in its Saginaw factory – but Paul went.  Always a good day.

The following came in from a colleague:

“I liked talking with Paul.  He was knowledgeable in many, many areas.  We met while he worked at Ford and I was working in big law, with the firm that assisted them in Mexico.  Then we opened boutique firms and worked on several projects together.  He was fast to share his experience.  Did not hold anything back and he also shared the cultural experiences when he traveled the world with Ford.  This was his best I think.  Because he observed many things ordinary people don’t see.  And he could share his insights with politeness or in your face with straight raw language.  But even in these cases you knew he felt he was not saying things directly to hurt or insult anyone. India, Norway, Mexico, Philippines, Canada, all ports in the US, he’d been there.  But my favorite one was the one from India.  I am laughing right now.    Knowledge with a sense of humor I suppose is the best way to describe my friend.”

Ok, ok I have not provided the details of his career path - General Motors, Delphi, Ford.  All the big auto companies in Michigan and after retirement his own solo practice, Vandevert Trade Law PLC.

He was not bigger than life – he was life and you can’t remember everything!  A college friend recalls her strategy for a successful party when so many people might not know one another – invite Paul.  He could (and would) hold forth as if he had known them his whole life!

Whatever his profession, Paul’s passion remained with theater.  He wanted to write and he did, but he loved to direct.  To have a vision for a play, to bring it alive.  He could be difficult to work with, but it was not about him – it was always about the words and how he read them.  Making ideas come alive.   Richard Moore sent out this synopsis to the local theater crowd.

“Paul served the Players Guild of Dearborn for many years as Lights and Sound Governor, as Past President from 2002 – 2004, as Finance Committee Chair and on the Building Committee.  He also provided legal counsel to the organization over the years.  Like many of us he gave his heart to the Guild and in the end, it was his heart that failed him as he succumbed to a heart attack while working at home on Tuesday March 14, 2023.” 

Paul is survived by:

-His wife, Caroline (Carrie) Serfass.  In August 1990 they met at a writing conference In Montana.  Paul did not believe her when she said she lived on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, while giddily driving at some not slow speed on a mountain road.  He thought the 60’s somewhere.  103rd and Riverside was the answer and he was in heaven.

-His son, John David Vandevert.  Paul was so proud of John, knowing he would be pursuing a PhD in Musicology at Uppsala University, Sweden.

-His sister Margaret King, a teacher, Hackensack NJ.

-His brother John’s three children: Sarah in San Francisco, and Maxwell and David who live in Long Beach California.  All have the last name Vandevert.

-And his 2 wonderful companion dogs – Charlie and Sherman P.  Keeshonds.

Paul was a traditionalist who changed with the times.  To the end, he remained an expert on the 3rd Amendment of the US Constitution, one of more relevant Amendments in today’s world.

In lieu of flowers, see a show, donate to the theater of your choice or donate to Episcopal Relief. 

A good friend will come and bail you out of jail…but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, “Damn…that was fun!”

A memorial gathering will take place on Friday, March 24, 2-8pm at the Dearborn location of Howe-Peterson Funeral Home. A memorial service will take place on Saturday, May 27, 11am at Christ Episcopal Church (120 N. Military St. Dearborn, MI). Paul's remains will be inurned at the church memorial garden.