Evelyn “Sunny” Stater Turns 100 Years Old

REDLANDS>> Evelyn “Sunny” Stater, widow of Stater Bros. founder Lavoy Stater will reach 100 years of age in September. To celebrate the landmark occasion, Evelyn’s family will hold a private birthday celebration for her. In 1935, Evelyn worked for the W.A. Davis grocery store in Yucaipa, California. When the Stater brothers purchased the W.A. Davis grocery store in 1936, they kept Evelyn onboard and she became the first employee of Stater Bros. Markets. Some of her duties included weighing eggs that were brought in to sell, checking, cleaning and keeping books on credit extended to customers. In 1943, she married Stater Bros. co-founder Lavoy Stater. She worked for Stater Bros. until the birth of her first child in 1948. Evelyn and Lavoy have three children, seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Their son Edward retired from Stater Bros. in 2011 as a Senior Vice President and served Stater Bros. for more than 45 years. “Evelyn Stater made countless contributions to Stater Bros. Markets," said Jack H. Brown, Executive Chairman of Stater Bros. Markets. "Without Evelyn’s support in the early days, Stater Bros. future may not have been as bright and blessed. Women have played a big role in the Stater Bros. success story, but none has played a bigger role than that of Evelyn Stater and the Stater wives." “Additionally, thanks to retired Senior Vice President Ed Stater, wife Vicki and sister Christie for documenting and sharing the history of Stater Bros. which reflects all of the contributions the Stater family has made to the Stater Bros. ‘Family’ of Employees,” Brown added. Stater Bros. was founded in 1936 in Yucaipa, California, and has grown steadily through the years to become the largest privately owned Supermarkets in Southern California and the largest private employer in both San Bernardino County and Riverside County. The company currently operates 168 supermarkets and there are approximately 18,000 members of the Stater Bros. Supermarket Family. For more information, visit staterbros.com.