JoAnn Severin

January 10, 1941 - August 2, 2018

JoAnn Severin, 77, of Oskaloosa, died Thursday, August 2, 2018, at the MHP Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa. She was born January 10, 1941, in Sandstone, Minnesota, the daughter of Leonard and Lilly Bowen Gervais. She graduated from Superior, Minnesota High School with the class of 1960. Following high school, she worked at St. Mary’s Hospital in Superior as a nurses’ aide. Upon earning her L.P.N. license she moved to Minneapolis and went to work at the V.A. Hospital. On April 16, 1966, she was united in marriage to John Severin at Minneapolis. In 1967, they moved to Des Moines and JoAnn worked at the V.A. In 1969, they moved to Oskaloosa and she continued her nursing career at Broerman Nursing Home. She later worked for Mahaska Hospital ER and Pleasant Park Care Center in Oskaloosa. Lastly, she worked at a care facility in Pella. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oskaloosa, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Thirsty Thursday Group, The Red Hats and the Hospital Basement Babes. She loved to travel with John and their friends, especially trips to Branson, Missouri. She also enjoyed volunteering at the hospital. She delighted in spending time with her family. Her family includes her husband of over 52 years John Severin of Oskaloosa; their daughter and her husband, Lisa and Michael Shaw of Kansas City, Missouri; four grandchildren, Haley, Eamon, Nolan and Celia; two brothers, Steven (Melanie) Gervais of Coon Rapids, Minnesota and Timothy Gervais of Minnesota; four sisters, Dorothy Kendall of Mora, Minnesota, Connie (Jerald) Nelson of Mora, Minnesota, Mary Allen of McAllen, Texas, and Sandra (Robert) Treland of Mauston, Wisconsin; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Brenda Severin; her parents; a brother-in-law, Alfred Allen and a nephew, Scott Kendall. Mass of the Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, August 7, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. in the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oskaloosa with Reverend John Spiegel officiating. Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Oskaloosa. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Monday after 10 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5-7 Monday evening. There will be a Christian Vigil Service for JoAnn at 5 p.m. Monday evening in the Bates Funeral Chapel. Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society and St. Mary’s Catholic Church.