Violetta Severson

Violetta Severson, age 93, of Watertown, SD died at the Jenkins Living Center on Thursday, February 22, 2024.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 29, 2024 at the Furness Funeral Home of Clark, SD from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and one hour prior to the service. A funeral service will be held at the United Methodist Church of Clark, SD at 2:00 PM on Friday, March 1, 2024 with burial to follow at Rose Hill Cemetery with refreshments and a time of fellowship to follow. Violetta's funeral service will be live streamed on the Furness Funeral Home Facebook page at the time of service.

Violetta (McGillivary) Severson was born on April 4, 1930, on the family farm 7 miles north of Henry, SD to Henry and Mary (Christner) McGillivary. She spent her childhood on the same farm with her parents, brothers, and sister where she learned about animals and farm life, spending time playing and sharing responsibilities on the farm and in the home.

Her education began at Belmont #42 Country School, where she attended 1st through 8th grade. She then moved to Watertown, SD to attend Watertown High School, living with various families and graduating in 1948. She especially enjoyed music class and playing the drums and cymbals in the marching band.

Just two weeks after graduation, Violetta began her journey in education at Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, SD. She furthered her studies at Wesleyan Methodist College, Marion Indiana, and The University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.

Violetta loved teaching and she dedicated 16 years of her life to it. Her teaching career began in Loyalton, SD. She also taught at Brentford, Garden City, Belmont #42 north of Henry, Raymond, Bradley, and Crocker with the majority of time teaching 3rd and 4th graders.

In 1957 Violetta received a religious degree from Kentucky Mountain Bible College in Vancleve, Kentucky. She then spent four years teaching and coordinating missionary work in eastern Kentucky mountain schools.

In 1963 she married Rudy Hoffman from Canada which ended in divorce.

On October 10, 1969, Violetta married Swen "Bud" Severson at the United Methodist Church in Tyndall, SD. She loved the ranch life, working with Bud raising registered Angus cattle and Quarter horses, riding horses, working cattle, and being a homemaker. Calving time was exciting for her. She assisted in the organization of record keeping including ear tag numbers for calves.

She received her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Huron College in Huron, SD in 1970.

Violetta was deeply involved in her church community being a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Garden City, SD and The United Methodist Church in Clark, SD. She enjoyed singing in the choir, participating in the United Methodist Women's group and Mary Circle, serving on the administrative board and teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at both churches.

Violetta belonged to the Happy Bunch Club where she held offices and enjoyed the fellowship of other members, many of which were her neighbors. She continued to be active in this throughout the years. After moving to Watertown several of the members visited her and at times, she was able to come to Clark to see them and join in the activities.

Violetta appreciated music. As a young girl she was encouraged by her mother to take lessons to learn to play the piano. She played piano and organ, having one in her home at the ranch and in Clark, SD.

Her love of reading began as a young child and continued throughout her life. She purchased books and rented from the library, continuing reading until a few months before her death.

She was a historian, telling family stories of the past, and taking and storing photos.

Violetta was a loyal friend and family member to all. She enjoyed traveling to homes of family to visit from the time she was a child and throughout her life. She was a strong believer in God and shared her faith with others, having a Bible close by with pages marked.

Violetta especially enjoyed graduation parties for nieces, nephews, and neighbors. She was excited for any who were farming or ranching and those attending school or college. She enjoyed reading the newspapers and asking for updates on what was happening with the weather, cattle, and farming in the area or how someone was doing in school or with their job.

Although they never had a family of their own, Bud and Violetta were loved and included by many, never spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter alone, always having an invitation to join in one of the family gatherings.

In 1995 Bud and Violetta purchased a home in Clark, SD. During her life on the ranch and in Clark she enjoyed collecting "pretty" things including dishes, silverware, and glass bells. She liked raising flowers, especially tulips, and having a nice-looking green lawn. They were married almost 30 years, when Bud passed away March 18, 1999, due to health complications at the Clark Care Center. Soon after, she would sell the cattle and rent out the land, residing in Clark.

As time passed, she identified she would need to have help in the years ahead, making her own decision in 2015 to secure a room at Rotell Senior Housing, Clark, SD and sell her household contents and home. She also lived at Cedar View Assisted Living, Edgewood Assisted Living, and Jenkins Living Center in Watertown, SD where she resided until the time of her death.

Violetta is survived by her brother Marvin (Joyce) McGillivary and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews, plus many friends who were like family to her.

Preceding her in death was her husband Swen "Bud," and their children Thomas Justin and Twyla Rose who both were born premature and died at birth. She was also preceded in death by her parents, brothers Ronald and Lester McGillivary, and sister Elsie (McGillivary) Bevers,  Dorothy (Ronald) McGillivary and Lois (Lester) McGillivary, and brother-in-law Dale Bevers, her nephew Todd (Krista) McGillivary, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Bertha (Fred) Farnam, Lester and Helen (Severson) Johnson, Harry and Clarice Severson, and Harold Severson.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Furness Funeral Home of Clark, SD where there is an online registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com.