Lloyd J. Severson

 Lloyd John Severson, 80, died peacefully in his sleep, Sunday, December 20, 2020, at Pine View Care Center in Black River Falls.

 John was born to Lloyd and Genevra Severson of Centerville, December 28, 1939, in the city of La Paz, Bolivia, “on the gleaming shores of Lake Titicaca, where he was baptized in a reed boat by three unlikely nuns.”

 John graduated from Duluth Central High School, in Duluth, MN, where he was a goalie for the hockey team. He graduated from the UW-Madison in 1961, with a B.A. in Economics. There he met Wendy Lou Miller, whom he married in 1963.

 John worked in information technology from the early 1960s. His first computer management system took a full square city block in Racine, and from there he became an IT manager for Winnebago Industries, where he created the company’s first computerized inventory system, then worked as a senior executive for Trane Company and American Standard.

 John lived in Bolivia, Canada, France, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri as well as Galesville and La Crosse, Wisconsin. He served on the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau school board, and he enjoyed traveling around the world for work and with his wife, Wendy, for pleasure.

 John enjoyed playing games (such as Cribbage, Mille Borne, and Backgammon) with family and friends. He listened to a wide range of music (including Luciano Pavarotti, Elvis Presley, the Statler Brothers, and others). John was passionate about gardening, woodworking, caning chairs, making pickles, and carving wooden hearts. He also wrote limericks and odes, among other creative pursuits.

 John was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Wendy; their stillborn baby; his parents; and his sisters: Sylvia Severson and Cynthia Reynolds.

 He is survived by his children: Rev. Eric (Ellen) Severson, and Jennifer (Jim) Snyder; grandchild, Jo Severson; siblings: Diana Hanson (Charles Susmilch), Martin (Christine) Severson, Virginia Rhodes, Hugh (Rebecca) Severson, and Carla (Daniel) Hacker; many nieces and nephews; and other extended family.

 A celebration of John’s life is being planned for the summer of 2021.

 Zwickey Funeral Home of Galesville assisted the family with arrangements.