Gerald Lavohn Avants

Gerald L. Avants, of Three Rivers, California, passed away on December 2, 2024 at the age of 92. In an instant, Gerald was absent from the body, and present with the Lord. This can only be described as miraculous! 

Gerald was born October 31, 1932, in Weatherford, Oklahoma, to Virgil and Beatrice Avants. Gerald was the youngest of 5 children, and the only boy.  

Gerald is survived by Roselyn, his bride of 70 years, 3 daughters - Brenda Foster, Ronda Moock, Cheryl Hovander (Leonard); 8 grandchildren - Roshel Ryan, Jason Haury, James Foster III (Brooke), Heather Spaulding, Anna Dunn (Jared), Micah Haury (Candice), Garrett Hovander, (Stephanie), Grant Hovander (Kelsey); and 22 great-grandchildren.

Gerald is survived by two of his four sisters, Violet Schmidt (Vernon), and Rosemary Manahan. 

Gerald summed up life in this way, “I have a Heavenly Father who watches over me”.  Life is not a series of events that happen by chance. Instead, they are a series of events directed by God. 

Gerald moved with his family from Oklahoma to California in the mid 1930’s. Work was a way of life. It kept a roof over the head, food on the table, and clothes on the back. An over simplified version of an ordinary day might include rising early, doing chores, having breakfast together, then getting yourself to school. After school, there were more chores to be done before the family sat down for supper. Then it was off to bed. 

In the generation that Gerald grew up in, neighbors helped each other. Strangers might arrive just in time to join the family for a meal. Your word meant something, and a handshake was the equivalent of a signed agreement. 

Sundays were a day of rest. The family dressed up and attended church. Extended family gathered for Sunday lunch. The adults visited, the children played, and the family sang together. Gerald was good at making the younger cousins cry, or maybe he was just an easy target, but if there was trouble, “Gerald, go to the car”, could be heard above the noise.

In later high school years, Gerald was allowed to join the baseball and football teams, but he was still expected to do his chores. Football was short lived when someone stole his cleats. Gerald couldn’t afford to replace them. So, baseball it was. Gerald was known by his teammates as “the home run hitter”!

Gerald graduated from Reedley High School in 1950. He enlisted in the Navy at age 17, and served during the Korean War. Gerald was selected to attend Electrician’s School and was assigned to the USS Delta, a Navy Repair Ship. While at sea, Gerald prayed that God would spare his life, provide him with a good wife, and bless him with children.

Upon discharge from the Navy, in 1953, Gerald returned to the family farm to work. He met the love of his life, Roselyn Buller, and married her on November 26, 1954. Gerald was 22 and Roselyn was 18. The couple became a family in 1956 with the birth of their firstborn daughter, Brenda. Ronda was born in 1958, and Cheryl in 1960. Remember Gerald’s prayer?

Gerald was hired by Southern California Edison Company in 1957. In a 30 year career, Gerald worked the Big Creek, Kern River and Kaweah River Hydro Projects. He started at the bottom and worked his way up, as was common in those days. He started in Maintenance, advanced to become an Operator, then Dispatcher and finally a Supervisor. When Gerald retired from SCE in late 1988, he segued into a Real Estate career that spanned another 30 years, plus some. One might surmise that Gerald loved to work!

Gerald was painfully shy, early on in life, and rarely said a word to anyone. That all changed over his lifetime. Gerald evolved into “the person who didn’t know a stranger”! He told stories, and he told a lot of them! 

Gerald lived life by both word and example. He was known to be serious, but he had a  funny, dry sense of humor. He liked to tease. (Was this why he spent Sunday afternoons in the car?) He had a heart for people. He was known to empathize with others. He understood, all too well, what it was like to be on the other side of things, growing up. Gerald loved his family - and his family knew it. 

Life is often summed up by a list of accomplishments, and though there are accomplishments, Gerald would not want to impress, but instead, impress upon. There exists a plan for each person’s life. As life unfolds, and as we surrender our will to God’s will, He is faithful to give us direction. Gerald trusted God’s plan for his life. He knew, with confidence, that God’s plan was best. By faith through trust, Gerald experienced that perfect peace that the Lord provides to those whose minds are focused on the Him. Life is not without trials, but God provides a deep, internal peace - a perfect peace.  

When you settle in your mind and in your heart who Jesus is - that He is the Lord, the Savior, the Christ, the Redeemer, and the King, and that He is all these things because He is the Son of God - then you have laid the foundation of faith on which everything else will rest. Do not wait, but come to know Jesus as your Savior, today. His strong, loving arms, are wide open. 
 

Visitation for Gerald will be held on Friday, January 3, 2025 at Smith Family Chapel, from 3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 11:30 A.M. at the First Baptist Church, Three Rivers. Directly following the service will be a full lunch reception at the Three Rivers Memorial Building. All are welcome to attend.

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