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Marcella Jean Severe
MARCELLA JEAN SEVERE
Vancouver, Wash.
Marcella "Jean" (Rehder) Severe was born Sept. 26, 1925, to Wencil Henry Severe and Pearl Orrilla (Karr) Rehder of Palo, Iowa. Jean passed away, peacefully, on Jan. 5, 2022, in Vancouver, Wash., at the age of 96.
Jean graduated from Palo High School in 1942 and continued her education at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor's Degree in music education. She was an accomplished musician on both the tenor saxophone and clarinet. In 1974 she achieved a Master's Degree from University of Portland, Ore.
She began teaching instrumental music in Toddville, Iowa. While in Toddville, she met and married Willis "Bill" Severe on Sept. 3, 1949. They eventually moved to Portland, Ore., where she taught instrumental music for over 20 years at Renne Middle and Elementary schools in the Newberg school district.
Jean and Bill retired in 1988 and began full-time RVing throughout the United States and Canada, with many ruises to other countries around the world.
In 1996, they placed roots in Salem, Ore., for eight years before moving to Vancouver, Wash., in 2004 to be closer to family.
Jean enjoyed hand embroidering dish towels, pillowcases, table runners, tablecloths, etc., throughout the year, and would sell them at various Christmas bazaars every year. She had many fans that followed her to the bazaars and purchase her work.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Wencil and Pearl Rehder; husband of 58 years, Bill Severe; daughter, Barbara Ann Wiese; daughter-in-law, Carol Gail (Carver) Severe; and sisters, Mildred "Faye" Young and Roberta "Joyce" Fish.
Survivors include five children, Gayle (Wayne) Jacobson of The Dalles, Ore., Pamela (Allen) Wright of Bend, Ore., Gary (Janet) Severe of Washougal, Wash., Bill Severe of Vancouver, Wash., and David Severe of Auburn, Wash. She has 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.skylinememorialgardens.com for the Severe family.
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