Edwin John Evans

On December 7, 1941, just shy of his 7th birthday, he watched as Japanese planes flew over his house in Pearl City, Hawaii, just after they had bombed Pearl Harbor.

Upon return to California Ed and his mother moved back to Orange County to live with her father and Ed’s grandfather, Emil Haase.

Ed graduated from Orange High School in 1952 with a tight group of friends who remained close to him until his passing. In his teens, he ran a sports fishing boat called the Patience out of Dana Point.

That’s when the idea of being an officer in the US Navy, inspired him to get his degree. He received a BS in business from Long Beach State making him eligible for Officer Candidate School (OCS). And began active duty.

During this time, he met Jean Brennan; they married in 1957. He left active duty and started to sell life insurance. As his career in insurance faded, he reentered the Navy. It was 1961, Ed and Jean were expecting their first child, Elizabeth. Ed became the Gunnery Officer on the USS Vammen and spent several months in the Eastern Pacific.

By the end of 1962, Ed left active service and joined the reserve. Jean was expecting their second child. Alison was born in May 1963. Ed determined he was going to be his own boss and built 24 apartment units on a parcel of land that had been part of his grandfather’s orange farm.

Through a close family friend, Ed was learning about the mobile home business. He Don Mc Calla and Jack Peterson formed EPM. It is a partnership that has endured. The trio opened their first Lake Park in Yorba Linda in 1969. Placentia, LA Habra, La Mirada, Brea, Santa Ana, Santa Ana North, and finally Soboba Springs followed.

Ed was passionate about property rights and mobile home parks. Because of his work with the Western Mobile Home Association, and the Manufactured Housing Educational Trust, he was inducted into the RV/Mobile Home Hall of Fame in 2014.

Ed loved mobile homes, but his joy was always at sea. He owned several boats and finally built his dream vessel, Tailwalker. He spent many happy summers cruising San Juan Islands and Canada.

Ed married Marilyn Crabtree after a long courtship. On her passing , his childhood friend, Patti Thormahlen joined him for travel and adventure.

Ed leaves behind daughters Elizabeth Evans Henry Ibbetson and Alison Evans Dylewski; his grandchildren, Kyle Dylewski, Amy Dylewski, Emilie Dylewski, and Evans Henry; and great granddaughter Althea.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Pacific Legal Foundation, in care of MHET, 25241 Paseo De Alicia Suite 120, Laguna Hills,CA 92653.