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James T Severson

April 5, 1960 - November 13, 2017

James T. Severson won his war with cancer. His family surrounded him as he left the battlefield to meet Jesus on November 13, 2017. He was 57. Jim took great care of the body God gave him; he did not deserve appendix cancer and remained courageous throughout his 2 ½ year battle. Jim was born April 5, 1960 in Decorah, Iowa to Leonard Jr. and Donna Severson, the 4th of 7 children, and was baptized at Decorah Lutheran Church.

Jim was an accomplished man. He attended South Winneshiek High School in Calmar, Iowa, then graduated Cum Laude from Upper Iowa University with a BA in Accounting and also obtained his CPA license. In 1985 while working as a Bank Auditor in Spencer, he met his future wife Renee Segelke. They were married April 8, 1988 at Waimea Falls, Oahu, Hawaii and made their home in Cedar Rapids. He worked 30 years at Alliant Energy in various accounting management roles, and wrote an article that was published in The Journal of Accountancy. Jim made countless contributions and influenced numerous employees during his career. He and Renee moved to Ankeny in 2016 and he retired in 2017 to focus on battling his cancer and more importantly to spend more time with family.

Jim didn’t have many loves, his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his wife, children, grandson and family. He had many interests; coaching his son’s basketball teams for many years, attending his daughter’s activities, landscaping and fixer of all things, playing basketball and golf, bicycling, traveling, date nights with Renee, playing with his grandson and making him laugh, spending time with friends and family, going to concerts, reading the paper, immersing himself in world news, and grilling perfect burgers. He was a big fan of the Riviera Maya, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the bands Kutless and the Eagles. Along with Renee, he was a state-licensed Foster Parent for several years, as well as a church treasurer, usher and church basketball gymnasium manager. He accepted Jesus Christ at age 50 in Cedar Rapids. He and Renee joined Lutheran Church of Hope West Des Moines in 2013. Jim was a man of God who loved his Lord; his faith never waivered. A quiet but friendly guy, he was a loving husband, attentive father, caring brother, son and son-in-law, loyal friend, good neighbor and role model. He was the first in his family to graduate college, and inspired nearly all of his nieces and nephews to follow in his footsteps. He excelled at nearly everything; if Jim did it, it was done right. He was good-looking, intelligent, athletic, kind, patriotic and sporadically hilarious. He didn’t like laziness, standing in line or shopping. He preferred home cooking to restaurant food. He was hardworking, and would rather start a project than sit and relax. He was proud of his children, especially of their character. He accomplished so many things in his life… the only unfilled goal was growing old with Renee. He was incredibly loved and cherished by his family.

Left to carry on his legacy are his wife of 29 years Renee, children, Amanda Paige (Ben) Wiele and Brock James Severson, his grandson Theo James Wiele, his mother Donna Severson, siblings Ron (Sue) Severson, Alan (Pam) Severson, Robin (Marty) Andera and Todd (Leah) Severson, mother-in-law Jackie Segelke Waggoner, brother-in-law Ron Segelke, nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, his church family and Bible Study Group, special friends and neighbors. He was preceded in death by his father Leonard in 1989, his father-in-law Donnie Segelke in 1992, his sister Loretta in 2007, his brother Jeff in 2008 and his grandparents Leonard Sr. and Ruth Severson and Alert and Gladys Vine.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 at Ankeny Memorial Gardens
in Ankeny, IA between 5 and 7 p.m. Services will be held at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines on Thursday, November 16th, 2017 at 11:00 a.m., followed by a full lunch.

Memorials may go to the family, or to Kathy’s House, a non-profit guest house that hosted Jim and Renee many times, located near the Froedtert Medical College Hospital of Wisconsin Cancer Clinic in Milwaukee.
http://www.kathys-house.org

“Be strong and courageous; the Lord is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9