Paul Evert

1930 - 2021

Paul Evert
March 1, 1930 - May 2, 2021
Clovis, California - On May 2, 2021, Paul V. Evert passed away surrounded his wife, children, grandchildren and close family friends.
Paul came from a humble German Mennonite family that had migrated from the Kuban region of Russia in 1919. Jacob Evert, Paul's father, settled in Hillsboro, Kansas where Paul was born. Jacob was a professor of Bible and World History at Tabor College. The Great Recession of the early 1930's came, the college closed, and Jacob and Albina moved their family to Reedley to join many German Mennonite friends. They farmed boysenberries and Ted raised chickens. Naomi was born in 1940 and the family grew to seven: Jacob, Albina, Ted, Louise, Waldo, Paul and Naomi. Paul started his retail entrepreneurial future at age seven by selling soda pop to the ladies at the packing houses in Reedley, a nickel if you came to his location, adding a couple of cents if he had to carry the ice-cold sodas to you!
In 1948 Paul lost his left arm in a car-trailer accident on a country road between Reedley and Dinuba. When he recovered, he was up and out of the house and on to college, working when he could in a garage with a friend that worked on some of Blackie Gejeian's cars. Losing his arm was never a hindrance to Paul. Paul came to be known as the One-Armed Bandit, and the stories of the One-Armed Bandit are cherished by all who knew Paul.
After Fresno State College, Paul interviewed at Pillsbury and Schenley-Roma Wine. He was offered a job opportunity at each company and chose Schenley because he figured people drink when they are happy - and when they are sad - therefore he would always have a job!
Paul's friend, P.J. Eades had a used car business on Tulare street in Fresno. One evening after work, Paul stopped by and PJ asked him to help a customer that was waiting to drive a car. Paul hopped in, drove with them, and they ended up buying the car – and Paul received his first commission check. The rest, as they say, is history! Paul continued working at Schenley, at PJ Eads and Vern Olsen's Volvo for ten years. Paul, always busy on projects, built a small complex of apartments near downtown Fresno. He sold them, made a profit, and began planning for his next project - Paul Evert Top Quality Cars, Inc., which specialized in clean sports cars and coupes.
Paul married Sherri Stephenson in 1972 and were the proud parents of Paula (Mar. 12, 1975 – Dec. 10, 2018), Pennie Evert Vasquez (husband Nick) who joined the family in 1977, and Cody Evert in 1997.
In 1977, Paul had the opportunity to buy a small RV dealer's inventory of Country Campers and Midland Motorhomes and started in the RV business on Abby Street. As the business began to grow, Sherri met with Paula Conner, from London Properties, and shared a vision to expand the RV business to Highway 99. Paula went back to work, talked with her colleagues and by that afternoon negotiations on the current location at Central and Highway 99 were under way. Paul started with a double wide mobile office and had the service bays at a separate location in downtown Fresno. Within a couple of years, Paul and the architects started meeting and came up the glass building and service bays that stand today. In 1981, Curt Curtis, the son of family friends, started working for Paul washing and cleaning RV's. From those humble beginnings, Curt has become the primary stockholder in the corporation. Curt and Paul maintained a fond father/son relationship until Paul's passing.
Paul and Sherri were always busy moving from one project to another. Along with the RV Business Paul and Sherri owned and operated a producing forty-acre walnut ranch in the mid 1970s. They also owned an Egg Harbor ocean boat in the 1980's docked at Long Beach that created many fond memories with family and friends who joined for long weekends at Catalina. In the early 1990's Paul and Sherri bred, incubated and sold ostriches, emus and rheas.
Paul always had a passion for the community of Fresno – especially the downtown. Paul joined numerous other Fresno investors to bring the Fresno Grizzlies, then Minor League SF Giants affiliate to Fresno, believing that was a key piece in the revitalization of downtown. For a span of several years Paul joined friends in the Civil War re-enactment, acting as General George Meade, and was an active member of Tehran Temple Mounted Horse Patrol with his trusted and dependable horse, Trigger. Paul considered it a great honor to join the Patrol in riding in the 2000 Tournament of Roses Parade. Paul was also an active member of Rotary.
Family was always a passion for Paul and Sherri. They spent a lot of time travelling the west coast, accompanying their daughters to horse shows and riding lessons. Paul enjoyed time with Cody while Cody was a
Cub Scout, they hunted on the ranch, boated and fished at their beloved Shaver Lake and spent weekends watching old movies.
Paul is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Sherri, daughter Pennie and her husband, Nick, son, Cody, grandson Hunter Schutz, granddaughter Scarlett Martin, sister Naomi Evert, nephew Curt Curtis and wife Marissa, nephews Mark Parisi and wife Kelly, Jeff Meachum, niece Terri Gulack and husband Robert, niece Kelly Evert and husband Paul, nephew Robert Evert and wife Colleen and their mother Mary Evert, sons-in-law, Jared Schutz and Steve Martin.
The Evert family would like to thank the many people that have reached out with their love and sympathies during this time. Memorial services will be held at Clovis Hills Community Church (10590 N. Willow Avenue, Clovis, CA 93619) on Monday, May 10, 2021. Doors will open at 12:00 pm for a public viewing, followed by a 1:00 pm memorial service.
Remembrances may be made to Clovis Community Hospital, memo: (Paul Evert), 1530 E. Shaw, Suite #106, Fresno, CA 93710.