Esther Ann Severin

Esther Ann Severin, the daughter of Lester and Esther Eldred (Aldrich) McDonald, was born March 7, 1933, in Des Moines, Iowa and died November 16, 2015, at the Heritage House Health Care Center in Atlantic, Iowa at the age of 82 years, 8 months, and 9 days.
Esther was baptized in April of 1936 at the Mediapolis Methodist Church in Mediapolis, Iowa. At the age of seventeen she gave her life to Christ at a Brush Arbor Revival out in the countryside. Esther attended elementary school in Muscatine, Iowa and Griswold, Iowa then graduated from the Guthrie Center High School in Guthrie Center, Iowa with the Class of 1950. Esther studied at the Iowa Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls, Iowa where she received her Teaching Endorsement. Later she completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree and her Master’s Degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
On June 20, 1951, she was united in marriage to Walter Mark Severin at the Christian Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa. They were blessed with two daughters Lorilyn and Sherilyn. They moved to Exira, Iowa where Esther taught Kindergarten and music at the Exira Community Schools. She then taught rural school at Bear Grove and Greeley Township. In 1960 she was hired to teach in the Audubon Community School system and taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade for 34 years until she retired in June of 1990.
Esther was an active member of the Bowman Chapel United Methodist Church and helped select the music and played the organ for services. She helped with Bible school and taught music. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, a teacher’s organization, P.E.O., and several singing groups including the Guthrie Singers and the Sweet Adeline’s. Esther was always an advocate for education and music. Esther was well known for her innovation in the classroom. She was well respected by all her co-workers and beloved by most of her students. She also made many positive influences in her community. But most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband Walter M. Severin; her parents Lester and his wives Esther and Irma McDonald; her father-in-law and mother-in-law Elmer and Blanche Severin; her brothers and sisters Martha and husband Dr. John Bartholow, James McDonald, Gladden McDonald, Merton McDonald and Joy Nelson; her brother-in-law Donald Severin; her sister-in-law Marion and husband Ingvald Williamson.
Survivors include her daughters Lorilyn and husband Tom Schultes of Anita, Iowa and Sherilyn and husband Chris Karamitros of Shenyang, China; her grandchildren Shannessy and husband Shane Michael of West Des Moines, Iowa, Mandi and husband Dr. James Brauer of Atlantic, Iowa, Shelby and husband William Herrick of Menlo, Iowa, Ivry Karamitros of Kansas City, Missouri, Vanessa Karamitros of Mission, Kansas, Ruby and husband Peter Martinez of Rolla, Missouri, Pearl Karamitros of Springfield, Missouri, and Luke Karamitros of Bolivar, Missouri, her great grandchildren Bellameira Michael, Lylionna Michael, James Brauer, Jonathan Brauer, Thomas Herrick, Anna Herrick, John Herrick, and Xavier Silvey; her brother Earl and wife Doris McDonald of Burlington, Iowa, her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Marlies McDonald of Tujunga, California, Evelyn McDonald of Torrance, California, Ted Nelson of Burlington, Iowa, and Ellen Severin of Carroll, Iowa, nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends.
The Celebration of Life Memorial service will be conducted by Pastor Jay Amundson on Monday, November 30, 2015, at 10:30 A.M. at the Bowman Chapel United Methodist Church in rural Guthrie County, Iowa. Inurnment will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Bowman Chapel. The family prefers memorials to the Bowman Chapel United Methodist Church.