Skip Everett

In Manila, Philippines, with bombs bursting nearby, Skip Everett was born as Norris Newcomb Everett on January 19, 1942 to Helen Everett in a make-shift operating room.  From date of birth, he was called Skip.  Helen was a well-educated, courageous lady from a small town in Colorado whose spirit of adventure brought her to this place.  Skip’s father, Norris Nourse Everett, known as Norrie, was President of Everett Steamship Corporation.  Days before Skip’s birth, his parents were captured at home by Japanese soldiers.  Until liberated in April 1945 by the US forces who won the Battle of Manila, the three survived near-starvation conditions in a Japanese prison camp.  One-third of the other prisoners in this camp, Santo Thomas, including Skip’s grandmother, Rebecca Everett, perished.    

After a year of recovery in Colorado, the family moved to Shanghai, where Skip’s father re-established the war-torn shipping company that was founded by his father in 1922.  With the Communist takeover in 1949, the family returned to Manila, where Skip went to the American School through the eighth grade.  He enjoyed these times in the Philippines immensely.  Out of concerns relating to escalations of the Korean War, the family moved in 1955 to Atherton, California, where Skip attended Menlo-Atherton High School.  At Stanford University, where he was in the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, Skip obtained a BA degree in International Relations.  He learned to fly while in college and went on to obtain FAA Airline Transport Pilot and FAA Commercial Seaplane licenses.  Skip owned several airplanes, but most enjoyed flying his amphibious seaplane to lakes, rivers, and spots around the SF Bay.  Other favorite pastimes he enjoyed from days in college were SCUBA diving, skiing, and hiking.  In his mid-60s, as a hiking highlight, Skip hiked to the top of Mt. Whitney and back in 18 hours. 

In 1966, Skip’s father and he created Sierra Academy of Aeronautics at Oakland International Airport to train DC-6 pilots and flight engineers.  Programs were expanded to include the Boeing 707, Boeing 727, and ultimately professional primary through commercial airplane and helicopter pilot training.  Later, with Skip Everett as President, the school provided contract training programs for Continental Airlines and more than 50 foreign carriers.  With basic through initial jet programs, the school trained 1/3 of Korean Air’s pilots and became the first US school to be approved to train FAA-licensed pilots for Chinese universities.  It was honored with several awards for pilot training excellence.  At its pre-9/11 peak, with training for technicians included, the school had 900 full-time students and 125 staff.  Under Korean company ownership, it continues in part at Castle Air Force Base.  Skip Everett later became a founding partner in Business Jet Center – Oakland, which was acquired by Landmark Aviation and then Signature Aviation. 

Skip’s greatest joys have been with his family.  He has a beautiful, caring wife, Nancy, who is a physician, a son Brett, who has an investment firm, a son Scott, who is a physician, a son Matt, who is an entrepreneur, and a daughter, Heather, who is a social worker and medical program computer systems specialist.  He and Nancy have loved three grandchildren, Aiden (13 years old), Sloane (3 years old), and Chase (1 year old).  They have felt fortunate to have had Aiden live with them, Matt, and Heather for all of Aiden’s years.  Skip’s younger brother, Bruce, and daughters-in-law, Andrea and Melaine, are important parts of family in the area as are his cousin, Ann Reis, her husband, Bart, and their children, Matt and Michelle.  Skip’s sister, Merrill Manke of Carmel Valley, whose children are Jessica and Scott, died at age 45 from metastatic melanoma.

Skip also got pleasures from charitable efforts.  Recent projects included help with the development of a blind singer who performed for tips on Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon.  Now, this talented tenor, Rodolfo Carbajal, performs professionally.  Skip and Nancy, who have resided in Alamo for 20 years, have long enjoyed vacation homes and friendships in Puerto Vallarta for many more years. 

Memorial services will be held on a later date, due to COVID. In the meantime, please feel free to share any photos or memories of him here.