Shirley Sommer Severson

Shirley (Sommer) Severson, 91 year old resident of Little Falls, MN passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at Homestead Hospice House in Owatonna, MN. Funeral services will be held at 11:30 A.M. on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at Bethel Lutheran Church in Little Falls, MN with Pastor Jean Megorden and Rev. Rachel Flogstad-Heise officiating. Burial will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls, MN. Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:30 AM on Tuesday at the church. Shirley was born on Christmas Eve, 1924, in Rush City, Minnesota, the daughter of Alfi and Henry Sommer. She graduated from Rush City High School in 1942. Shirley followed in her father’s footsteps by becoming a pharmacist. She first attended Carlton College, followed by the University of Minnesota School of Pharmacy. Shirley was very proud to be one of the first female registered pharmacists in the state of Minnesota. Following WW II, she married Ken Severson on August 31, 1947 in Rush City. The couple later moved to Braham, Minnesota, where they started a family, and Shirley worked for Schwarten Drug. In 1955, they moved to Little Falls, Minnesota. Shirley first worked part-time at various pharmacies before starting a full-time career with Thrifty Drug. For many years, customers would peek around the drug counter at Thrifty Drug to see if there really was a female pharmacist! In 1961, the family purchased a home north of Little Falls, on the Mississippi River. Shirley enjoyed fishing, boating, golfing, and raising their family on the banks of the river. When the kids were out on the river, she would blast a trombone to let them know it was time for dinner. She was also an avid Bridge player and enjoyed her time with various Bridge clubs. During the 1967-1968 school year, the Severson family was blessed to have Erling Pettersen from Norway join the family as an AFS student from Norway. Shirley and Ken enjoyed many fishing trips with friends and family to lakes all over Minnesota, but Lake of the Woods was their favorite. Shirley was very active with Bethel Lutheran Church, serving on many committees, including the annual Lutefisk dinner. She was the only one in the family that actually liked Lutefisk! She was proud of the church and the history it represented. After living 58 years in Little Falls, Shirley moved to Owatonna in September 2013, to be near her son David and his wife Trudy. Shirley was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and will be missed dearly. She is survived by three children, David (Trudy) Severson of Owatonna, MN; Mary (Kevin) Prince of Pawley’s Island, SC; and Jane Morris of Key Biscayne, FL; 4 grandchildren, Meghan (Joe) Johnson, Erik (Kyra) Severson, Ryan Morris, and Sean Morris; 4 great-grandchildren, Ella Grace Johnson, Vivian Sommer Johnson, Camden Prince Severson and Jack Harold Johnson. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ken; and brother Fred. Memorials preferred to Bethel Lutheran Church in Little Falls, or Homestead Hospice House Patient Care Fund in Owatonna.

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Shirley Sommer Severson

December 24, 1924 - January 17, 2016