Gerald Evenstad Obituary Gerald Allen Evenstad Evenstad, Gerald Allen November 7, 1948 - June 21, 2015 Gerald Evenstad was a gracious and loving man. He died peacefully on Father's Day, surrounded by his family, who will love him forever and miss him dearly. He was intelligent, spiritual to his Higher Power, a voracious reader, golfer, and quick to laugh. Gerald Evenstad, is survived by his wife Beret Evenstad of Houston, Texas and her daughter Parker Shelton of Bloomington, MN; his brother Glenn (Suzie) Evenstad of Chandler, AZ; his sister Arlene (Bud) Hanson of Baudette, MN and his brother Kenneth (Grace) Evenstad of Wayzata, MN; as well as many nieces and nephews and two neurotic terriers, Clover and Charlie. Special gratitude is due to the heroic efforts of nephew Christopher Evenstad of Minne-tonka and Parker Shelton for their care and vigil of Gerald through his last trying weeks. He is preceded in death by his parents Ole and Sophie Evenstad of Baudette, Minnesota. Gerald Allen Evenstad was born November 7, 1948 in Baudette, MN and was the youngest of four children. He graduated from Baudette High School in 1966 and then attended Minnesota State University in Bemidji. He joined the U.S. Army and served in Viet Nam from 1968 through 1971, which was an enormous source of personal honor and pride in his life. He moved to the "Twin Cities" upon his return from the service and began selling adding machines to Minneapolis businesses. He was not a "morning person" and was fired from every job, which prompted him to start his own company, Nevers Oak in 1976. Based in Plymouth, Minnesota, Nevers Oak became Nevers Industries Inc. a wood manufacturing company that designed and built the finest American made conference room furniture in the world. He loved his employees and was deeply proud of their talents. In 1985, he underwent treatment for alcoholism and valued that sobriety more than any asset he ever owned. He helped found, and was passionately active, in his Tuesday Night Mens AA Group in Wayzata. In 2005 he married Beret Syverson of Edina, Minnesota, and they resided in Wayzata, Minnesota. He retired from Nevers at the end of 2014, but kept in daily contact with management and his advisers since that time. His passions were golfing, his Tuesday night mens group, reading, and eagerly following the events of his family and friends on FaceBook. By far Gerald's greatest pleasure in life was smoking his daily cigars. A celebration of his life and funeral are planned for later this week prior to his interment at Fort Snelling. Memorials to the Hazelton Foundation are preferred in lieu of flowers. Service will be held at St. Martin's by-the-Lake Episcopal Church, 2801 Westwood Road in Minnetonka Beach on Wednesday June 24, 2015 at 3 PM.  Death: June 21, 2015 Share your thoughts and memories in the guestbook.