After graduating from PHS in 1979, John Even earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from CSUC.  He was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and president of the chapter from 1983-1984.   Following graduation, John managed several restaurant/bars in Southern California and San Francisco before purchasing the Blue Max night club in Chico, which he operated for several years.  Also, he was employed as a financial officer for Saturn Motors in the Sacramento area.  John was engaged to marry Diane Chipman of Antelope.  The couple had been together for five years.  Her children loved him as if he was their dad.  They did everything together.  John loved the outdoors—waterskiing, bicycling, jogging, and barbecuing.  He loved to write poetry and was an avid reader.   

After a visit to his father in Paradise, John was driving to his Sacramento home when a big rig logging truck violated his right of way.  The truck driver didn’t see John’s vehicle until it broadsided his truck.  The accident occurred on Hwy 70 near the Hwy 149 Chico turnoff.  John was transported by helicopter with massive head injuries to Enloe Hospital's trauma unit.  Four days later, at the age of 37, John died after he was taken off life support systems.  He reportedly never regained consciousness after the crash.  John's family donated his organs to others.

John’s fiancée/partner, Diane, prepared a eulogy for John:

"John had two very different sides:  The one side most of us knew was the loud and funny side.  He was also opinionated, a bit arrogant, and impatient.  I learned early on in our relationship that going to a funny move with John always meant lots of heads turning our way when he laughed.  He laughed louder and more often than anyone else in the theatre.  We enjoyed going to both of the Brady Bunch movies, and if you have seen “Something about Mary,” you can imagine how many heads turned our way during that movie."  John's sensitive and emotional side was extremely deep.  He was passionate about life, and his surroundings were influential to his moods.  He was spontaneous and often took trips to San Francisco and Stinson Beach with or without me, just to get away, walk on the beach and find some peace in his life.  He wrote beautiful poetry and every card he ever gave me was written with very emotional thoughts.  I 'm extremely thankful for the time my children and I shared with John and for the love I now share with his wonderful family.  My family and I loved him very much and he will be greatly missed."