Herbert J Severson

Herbert (Herb) Severson passed peacefully in his Sparta, WI home on September 29, 2023 after a decade long battle with dementia. Herb spent his final days with his family of women laughing, crying and reminiscing, most often of his antics or a special time together. All this love made it so that glimmers of the old Herb showed up for the party.

Herb was born May 19, 1931 in Bangor, WI where he met Donna (Schroeder) in the first grade. They married on June 18, 1955, and spent the next sixty-eight years celebrating life’s moments and milestones with family and friends.

Herb was recognized for his service in the Korean War with various awards and a recent Freedom Honor flight. Many knew Herb through his founding of S&S Distributing, but few know that he had a dairy bar in Sparta’s old Nicolet hotel in the fifties selling his mom’s BBQ and his own home-made ice cream. Herb’s love of ice cream would endure and eventually grew into an obsession with Culver’s concretes so epic he got a letter from the company.

Herb had a generous and gregarious spirit. He was a prankster and a story teller, and paradoxically both the life of the party and a loner. Herb’s kind heart was most evident in his immense love for animals and tender care of his mother-in-law during her dying days. Herb enjoyed road trips in the RV, day trips with brother Gene, countless hours on the pontoon at the lake, and sharing a beer with a friend.

Herb will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather who brought brightness to everyone around him through his kind hearted nature and wit. He was preceded in death by his parents Julius and Pearl (Streeck) Severson, and his five brothers and sisters Earl (Ione), Elwin, Alice, Mildred (Duane Freng) and Florence (John Engle). He is survived by his beloved wife Donna, daughters Pam (Kurt Schultz) Severson, Deb Severson and Linda (Billy) Ludwig along with grandchildren Jessica, Megan, Amanda, and Becca, great-grandchildren Alex, Avery, and EvaMarie, and four-legged family Mimi, Namaste and Fato.

Visitation will be held Friday, October 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home, 106 W. Franklin Street in Sparta, and at 10 to 11a.m. Saturday, October 7 at St John Lutheran Church, at 419 Jefferson Ave. Sparta. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. at the church followed by a luncheon in the church auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a local animal shelter or St John’s church in Herb’s honor. Online condolences may be offered at www.schanhoferfh.com.

Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home and Cremation, Sparta, is assisting the family with arrangements.

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