Henry Severin

Henry Joseph Severin

Resident of Cupertino

aka 'Hank' born in Imperial, CA on 10-9-1914. Passed 9-11-10. Resident of Cupertino from 1945. He passed peacefully, 28 days short of 96. He is survived by his 3 children, Robert, Patricia and David Severin. He also has 6 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren.

After high school, he became a Ham-Radio operator, using Morse Code. He got a job as a radio-operator and Navigator for Transocean Air Lines. At this time, the company was using D-C3's, and D-C4's which were gasoline powered rotary engines with propellers. As he traveled around the world, he took pictures. While in Hawaii, he found some orchids. He brought one home to his wife, Lillian and she fell in love with orchids. In 1962 the two companies Henry worked for went bankrupt, because Jet Planes and computers were faster and more efficient. In 1963, Hank went to work for a company called EIMAC testing Klystron tubes, that were used for transmitting T.V. and Radio Waves. The company also invented the first micro-wave oven, that would cook a 25 lb. frozen turkey in about 2 hours, ready to serve.

By 1968, Henry retired to grow orchids from seed pods into full size plants. Then Hank and his wife Lillian, who by now is a fully-accredited Orchid Judge, went on many tours to locate orchids in, or near their native habitat. Henry took many orchid pictures and Lillian collected many species orchids on their tours to nearly 56 countries.