Obituary: Severson, George C.
He was born in Hardin, MT to George C. and Nettie (Cottrell) Severson.
The family moved to Canada and back to the states in his youth and settled in Harrington, WA in 1929.
George was the oldest of nine sons born to Nettie and George.
Four brothers died in infancy.
He joined the CCC’s when he was sixteen years old and he helped build Riverside State Park.
In 1940 he joined the WA National Guard.
It was during this time that George met his soul mate, Gladys Jensen.
George’s best friend Clifford Jensen introduced them to each other.
After Boot Camp he and Clifford went to Pearl Harbor with the 161st Infantry at the beginning of WW II.
George fought at Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands.
It was at Guadalcanal that he and three other soldiers volunteered to rescue five soldiers that were trapped in a ravine during torrential rain while in an aggressive Japanese firefight.
They were all brought to safety.
Because of his heroism, he was awarded the Legion of Merit.
He was also awarded the Bronze Star for marksmanship.
Gladys and George corresponded with each other through-out the war and when he returned, they married May 5, 1945 in Tacoma, WA.
They celebrated 66 years of marriage before Gladys passed away on March 22,2012.
George worked for Kaiser Aluminum-Mead for 25 years and retired in 1975.
After Gladys retired, a year or so later, they traveled all over the United States and into Mexico in a motor home.
They made so many friend and stayed in touch with several of them throughout the years.
In 1995, they bought a house in Yuma, AZ and had several good years there, participating in activities.
George was an avid rock hound and loved doing lapidary work until he was no longer able to do so.
They had a wonderful life together and for that, we are all grateful.
George and Gladys moved into Garden Plaza in Post Falls, ID in 2010.
He passed away at Hospice House of Idaho.
His brothers Frank, Grant, Amos and Norman and three grand- sons, Shane Severson and Christopher and Brian Shurtleff, preceded him in death.
His three children and their spouses survive.
They are Dave and Elaine Severson, Bend, OR, Linda and Doug Shurtleff, Spokane, WA and Cherry and RK Rice, Ketchikan, AK.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Amy (Shawn) Larson, Andrea (Rod) Kiehn, Tera (Rob) Nielson, Jason (Megan) Severson, and Chelsea Rice.
Ten great-grand- children and one great-great grandson and several nieces and nephews, also survive George.
We wish to thank Garden Plaza, Kootenai Medical Center, Hospice House, Jan Johnson, and our cousins Karen and Mike Young, for their loving care.
A memorial service will be held at 3 P.M., Saturday, April 13, 2013, at Leisure Park Club House, 1480 Leisure Drive, in Hayden, ID.
Yakee’s Funeral Home in Hayden is in charge of cremation.
Burial will take place at the Washington State Veteran’s Cemetery in Medical Lake.