A good man with a brilliant mind and a compassionate soul. I learned so much from Paul and was lucky to call him a colleague and friend. Some people think they are the smartest guy in the room, wish they were the smartest guy in the room or act like the smartest guy in the room. Paul really was the smartest guy in the room. But, he never made people feel small or less than. He had a wicked funny sense of humor, talked faster than any man on earth and could turn a phrase in a way that made the "lights go on" in the brain of even the most stubborn and cynical learner. Paul could take a complicated concept and explain it is a way that regular community folk could understand and embrace.
I worked with Paul from 2003 to 2011 when he helped my organization develop the National Coalition Academy that has helped hundreds of communities learn how to alleviate intractable community problems.  His contribution to the science of community problem solving is immeasurable. I am so sad to hear of his passing.

Paul was an exceptional man who leaves a more exceptional legacy. Godspeed and much love to you. May his memory always be a blessing. 

Paul— A  beautiful, brilliant, bold soul walked among us; now soars above and around us! Paul smiles and laughs in a way that’s only his! He spreads his wings and embraces us all… as he embrace and touch communities around the world through his body of work and legacy of life!

Paul— May you be washed with water, ice, and snow! May your sins be erased! May you have light in the grave, expansion in the tomb, and may you be granted the paradise! Alas, may your essence live among us as evidence of your journey!

Peace, Grace , and Love— 🎋
Your Eternal Friend ~Kareemah Abdullah


While I consider it a profound loss that I never had the chance to formally befriend Paul, I felt like I knew him from photos and memories shared over the years by mutual friends. If Paul is anything like Mark (which of course he is), then I know that he was one of the good ones — the kind that folks with good intuitions and good hearts gravitate towards. My heart is shattered that you are no longer with us, but the beauty of humans is that what separates us from the animals and all of the chaos, is that we’re able to mourn those we’ve never met. So today, I mourn the loss of you, Paul. 

Mark, I will continue to lift you up in prayer. May love and light surround you, always. 
“The lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Lauren Calvin

Like others have said, when I think of Paul’s impact on me it’s hard to find the words. It was unique and significant, and sometimes those unique and significant things are difficult things to describe. 

Paul would be able to find the words though. 

Not only was he brilliant but he could find the brilliance in others. He could take a sloppy, half-expressed, seemingly dull thought or idea and repeat it back in a both eloquent and poetic way.

He had a genuine excitement about things that was contagious. 
Which is also unique and significant. 

While I can’t describe Paul’s impact on me, I can say I think about it often and I’ll never forget it. 

A lesson I’m learning about loss is the importance of being grateful for what you had. I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to work alongside Paul and call him friend. 

Dear Mark, do you remember when you and Paul came to New Madrid? You and Christy started cooking, like always.  I had met Paul but didn't know him well.  While you two cooked, Paul and I took a nice long ride. I showed him our little town and told him of some of the town and family history.  He shared some of his history and I felt that we became friends that day.  We made a connection that lasted.  I think it is wonderful that you two found each other and managed to make your time together something truly special and some people never have that.  Without doubt you will have some sad times and will miss him terribly but remember the special relationship you had.  Paul was one of a kind.  My heart goes out to you.  Love, Linda.

It is impossible to put into words how big of an impact Paul Evensen had on me; it will take me years before I understand it myself. 

When I met Paul in 2016, a colleague at the time joked that I was certain to work for him. I promptly dismissed it — and joined his team nine months later. 

Five years may not seem long, but our time together was overfull. We worked on at least four organizations together that somehow formed a cohesive burst of energy focused on revamping broken systems in our community.

It may have been a bit much to walk into a room with us, but showing up as “the Pauls” throughout those years was thrilling — and though I knew I was the clear understudy, Paul never made me feel that way. He talked me down from many bad ideas, but always with an investigative push toward something better. And after an hour (or two, or three) at the whiteboard, I always had more confidence and clarity around whatever we were trying to build. 

There are so many more lessons to carry forward, from the wise sayings of his grandmother (“Is the juice worth the squeeze?”) to the way a man known for his (over?) complexity could often distill a whole field into something simple yet profound: “To most people, ‘interdisciplinary’ is just life.” 

And even with a clear view that things are obviously pretty messed up, Paul remained an optimist to his core. Not naively, but intentionally; it was always better to nudge folks toward a positive vision of what could work, regardless of the hurdles in its path, than get stuck on what could go wrong. 

That care and optimism carried him through. He reassured me in early April, in our last text exchanges, that the “roller coaster was heading up” — and noted that, after completely losing his hearing for a few weeks, he gained a lot of empathy for people who are deaf. “A mile in others’ shoes…”

After all of it, even now, I still have the sense that we are just getting started...

Thank you so much for everything, good sir. 


I join many who are wading through deep sadness right now over the loss of Dr. Paul Evensen, who passed last weekend after a long bout of cancer. 

I only knew Paul for the past five years, but the impact he made on me will last a lifetime. In 2015, I was unexpectedly unemployed and a mutual friend connected us. A month later he hired me as the first staff member of a new effort called Social Innovation St. Louis, which is now the Community Innovation & Action Center at UMSL. Have you ever been so fortunate to have a boss that was so awesome and brilliant take a chance on you, take you under their wing, and give you space to try, learn, and grow on (mostly) your own terms? That was Paul to me. I hope to pay all of that forward.

I don’t think I have any pictures of the two of us, but my mind’s eye will always remember head-spinning whiteboard drawings with handwriting I had to ask him to decipher, the best Christmas parties ever, and the combination of Diet Pepsi and Red Hot Mike & Ikes. We also stumbled through Crossroads ABAR together, twice. 

And I’ll remember all the Paul-isms that are in my head nearly every day: 
“Form follows function.”
“Don’t do well what you don’t want to do again.”
“Family first, always.”
“You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”
“To be unclear is to be unkind.”

I regret that Paul and I had not been in close touch over the past year as he got sicker and COVID wound it’s way through our world. It would’ve been nice to catch up. Paul didn’t like politics much and I can imagine that if he ever happened to read about me in the paper he probably thought, “what the hell, Clancy,” but with words of much more gravitas as only he could muster. I get why he probably didn’t care for politics as it, in many ways, is so antithetical to the partnerships and true collaboration he worked so earnestly to build here and across the country.

Paul, your time was cut too short but may your light continue to shine. 

I am the Presbyterian minister who conducted Paul and Mark's wedding in New Zealand.  My wife, Linda, and I were so privileged to be chosen to be part of their relationship.  Having viewed all the photos , read other people's memories and read Paul's biography we are amazed about the wonderful life that Paul has led and all that he has achieved and the person he was.  When we think of Paul we think of Mark, they both have such an enormous faith and love of God.  On the day that Paul died, our church pianist happened to play an arrangement of their wedding hymn, "It is well with My Soul".  On our return from church we found the email from Mark telling us of Paul's death.  It is true, it is well with Paul's soul.
We send our love to you Mark and hope one day we will see you again,  Norman and Linda Wilkins

Paul, I loved hearing your voice. Your kindness and mentorship taught me so much. I was so blessed to be inspired by you, and you are a huge part of my leadership story.  I finally put the puzzle piece together...that you can be both a powerful and empathetic leader!   You saw greatness in me at a time when I didnt believe it myself. I wish I could of only told you these things before you left us. Please rest now, my dear friend. 

Paul was such a force for positive change in the community and so influential for me personally!  Not only was he brilliant-- in group settings I loved to watch people in awe of his fast talking ideas-- but he also had such a big heart. He was always the most optimistic person in the room, forever hopeful about what could be achieved, no matter the challenges. He was generous as an employer and friend. As I grew into my evaluator identity, I learned more from him than I could possibly name here. Not only has he shaped my skills and thinking, but he opened yet another door for me last year by being willing to write a letter of recommendation for my doctoral program applications. As I embark on this next journey,  I'll forever try to honor his memory with the work that I do. He will be missed so very much. Sending so much love to Mark, his puppies and all his friends~ Amanda Sutter

I'm so saddened to hear of the passing of Paul. I was assigned as his HR  Consultant and he was a dream to work with. When I think of Paul he was innovative, respectful, classy, and always put his employees ahead of himself. He intimidated me with his knowledge and expertise, however it pushed me to step up my game. I am grateful to have known Paul and extend sincere condolences to his family.

Audra

Paul was a great trainer and coach! My career was made better because of his special advice and support. His work will live on for decades to come! He will always be in my ❤️ ❤️❤️❤️

OBITUARY

Dr. Paul Edwin Evensen

August 4, 1967 – June 19, 2021

Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary

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