Obit Of Evetts, Hoke - Washita County, Oklahoma Thanks To Bakersfield Californian For Permission To Upload Their Obits To The USGenWeb Archives. Copyright, http://www.bakersfield.com/ 12 Oct 2008 Return To Blaine County Archives: Http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/washita/washita.html ===================================================================== Usgenweb Notice Copyright. All Rights Reserved. Http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.Htm ===================================================================== ::Grangeville Cemetery--Armona CA The Bakersfield Californian Hoke Evetts 2/28/1914 3/7/2003 Businessman and popular livestock auctioneer, Hoke Evetts, died of cancer on Friday, March 7, at his home in Hanford. He was 89. Hoke was born in Weeks, Arkansas, in 1914. His mother was the former Kate Reeder of Chaulk Mountain, Texas, and his father, Homer Evetts, was born in Thackerville, Oklahoma. Hoke grew up in Canute and Dill City, Oklahoma. He moved to California with his wife, Alma, in 1935. Hoke liked to tell the stories of how he and Alma picked cotton and worked in the fields when they first came to California and how he milked cows all night for the pay of one gallon of milk. Hoke also worked as a chicken farmer, bartender, gas station owner, and became a dairy farmer. Eventually, he taught himself to auctioneer, and went to work for Col. Harry T. Hardy in Bakersfield, and Johnny Souza in Tulare. In 1959, Hoke and Pete Bellezuoili bought the Overland Stockyard in Hanford. Hoke was known for his colorful personality, his love of horses, and his generosity towards all people. He loved to rope, go dancing, and help people out if they were in a jam. He never forgot his humble roots, and was quick to donate his services, time and money to any good cause. He was instrumental in helping raise funds for the Hanford YMCA. He volunteered his time to sell the 4H and FFA livestock sales at the Kern and Kings County Fairs each year for over 60 years, for which he was given the Blue Ribbon Award from the Western Fairs Association. Hoke was given other numerous awards in his lifetime, and in 1999, was named Agriculturist of the Year from Kings County. Proclamations and resolutions were named in his honor from the California Legislative Assembly, the California Senate, the Congressional Record of the United States, and the Mayors Office of Hanford and Lemoore. In 2002, Hoke was named Kings County Distinguished Dairyman of the Year. Hoke was preceded in death by his three brothers, George, Harold and Eric, and his wife, Alma. He is survived by his twin sister, Hortense Nobles of Bakersfield; daughters, Charlene Jespersen of Hanford, Tonja Evetts Weimer of Greenville, SC; son, Monty (H.P.) Evetts of Hanford; and eight grandchildren. And if Hoke ever met you, he would consider you not only a friend, but another relative. At a recent banquet honoring Hoke, a local politician summed up Hokes life in the following words: If you could put a face on America, it would be this faceHoke Evetts. Visitation will be Wednesday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Peoples Funeral Chapel in Hanford. Graveside services will also be held Wednesday, 2:00 p.m., in the Grangeville Cemetery in Armona, CA. The family requests donations be made to The Adventist Health Hospice Services, P.O. Box 240, Hanford, CA, 93232, or to the American Cancer Society, Kings County Unit, P.O. Box 381, Hanford, CA 93233. Peoples Funeral Chapel (559) 584-5591 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Washita County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/washita/washita.html