Harry Allen Severson

Harry A. Severson, age 86, Clark, died Saturday evening, November 3, 2012, surrounded by many family members in the Prairie Lakes Hospital at Watertown, SD. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 7, 2012, from 5-7 p.m. at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and will continue on Thursday morning at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark after 9:30 a.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 8, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with The Reverend Robin Schaunaman officiating. The honorary casketbearers will be his granddaughters and great-grandchildren with the active casketbearers being his grandsons. Dorothy Fuller will be the organist with Roger Nordhus the soloist. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark. Harry Allen Severson and brothers Harold and Gerald were born on July 12, 1926, near Clark, S.D., to Swen Sr. and Ida (Keyes) Severson. Gerald died shortly after the triplets were born. Harry and his siblings were born in the "stone house" his father built of hand-made cement blocks which still stands south of Highway 212 west of Clark. The family lived there until 1938, a year after the death of Harry's father, when they moved to another farm three-and-a-half miles to the northeast. The stone house has remained empty since that time and stands as a testament to the skill and hard work of early Clark County residents. Harry attended Lorenz School in Lincoln Township for six years and the Eubank country school in Garfield Township for two years. In July 1945, at the age of 19, Harry entered the Army. He received infantry training and became a qualified rifleman at Camp Joseph T. Robertson in Arkansas. During Harry's military service he traveled to Camp Picket in Virginia, Fort Dix in New Jersey, France, Switzerland and Germany. He was honorably discharged from the Army on May 13, 1947. Harry was a member of the Raymond Legion - Baker Post 209 and served as post commander during 1966-1967. After his discharge from the service, Harry graduated from Reisch Auctioneer School in Mason City, Iowa. He held farm sales in the area and worked at sale barns in Britton, Clark, DeSmet, Timber Lake, Sisseton, Watertown and elsewhere, including the last sale at the Clark Sale Barn and many Clark County 4-H Beef Sales. The Severson brothers - Bud, Harry and Harold - began a partnership raising Angus cattle in 1951. Later, they each started their own cattle operations. Harry was united in marriage with Clarice Christianson on April 15, 1952. The couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this year. Harry and Clarice lived their entire married life on the farm in Garfield Township, where the kitchen table served as a café and an office for Harry's cattle buying business for many years. Harry enjoyed following the activities of his six children and 19 grandchildren - attending sporting events, rodeos, 4-H Achievement Days, concerts, confirmations, high school and college graduations, and weddings. He was also blessed with 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter. Harry was baptized in the Methodist faith and was a long-time member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church. Grateful for having shared his life are his children Jolene (Ron) Volek of Highmore, Terry (Cheryl) of Raymond, Brad of Vale, SD, Kirk (Terri) of Clark, Candice (Lance) Mason of Doland, and Scott (Monica) of Waverly, Iowa. Grandchildren are Kyla Parrish and Allen, Billy and Eric Volek; Kaci Bechen and Jennifer, Jason, David, Lane and Cheyenne Severson; Cody and Cole Severson; Traci Smith, Michele Benike, and Jerald and Jacob Severson; Paige Hermanson and Bailey Mason; and Ryan Severson. Great-grandchildren are Shaelee and Connor Parrish, Amber Christman, Brandi Harrington, Michael Severson, Damian Thyen, Mason Severson, Cortney and Garret Smith, and Tyson and Abigail Benike, and a great-great granddaughter, Abby Christman. Harry's surviving siblings include Harold (Nyla) of Rapid City and Helen Johnson of Watertown and a sister-in-law, Violetta Severson of Clark. Preceding Harry in death are his parents; wife, Clarice, in April; a sister, Bertha (Fred) Farnum; two brothers, Gerald and Swen "Bud" and a brother-in-law, Lester Johnson. Funeral arrangements are announced by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com