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David Sever Obituary
Feb. 21, 1948 - April 19, 2019
SOUTH BEND, IN - Dr. David Sever, PHD, loving husband, father and grandfather died April 19 in Largo, Florida after a brief hospital stay. A Celebration of Life will be held in Largo, Florida on June 29.
Dr. Sever was born on February 21, 1948 in Canton, Ohio. Dr. Sever received his undergraduate and master degrees in Zoology/Biology from Ohio University. He later obtained his PHD at Tulane University. After completing his education, he began a long and distinguished teaching and researching career. Most notably, he taught Biology at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana from 1974 to 2004. Later in his career, he held the Kenneth Dyson Endowed Professorship at Southeastern Louisiana University where he spent the last 11 years of his career. Dr. Sever was a well-recognized authority in the herpetological/biological scientific community and was the author of numerous books, textbooks and research articles. Dr. Sever was a mainstay at scientific conventions in the herpetological community and was a regular keynote speaker and presenter. Most of all, Dr. Sever enjoyed fostering and mentoring future herpetologists and often collaborated with the younger generation of scientists in research and publication. Dr. Sever was recognized as a distinguished alumnus by Ohio University and was given the title of Professor Emeritus at Southeastern Louisiana.
Dr. Sever is survived by his wife of 49 years, Marlis; his two children, Philip and Robert; and his five grandchildren, Zoe, Quinn, Joseph, Nathan and Paul. David and Marlis were inseparable throughout their life and had many adventures together including extensive travel across the United States and the world. He will be greatly missed by his family and numerous friends and colleagues.
The family has requested that donations be made to a fund earmarked for student travel to conferences sponsored by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, ssar.wildapricot.org/sever-donations.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for David Sever
R. Dean Sever
April 29, 2022
Your Old brother still has you on this anniversary of our loss. You are still with me in my dreams often times at night of our youthful adventures, some turned out positive and some negative but we had fun doing them together and many positive years afterwards.
May 9, 2019
As David's older brother, I have many good memories. Some things David was involved in during his youth and not mentioned on the Obituary, he was an Eagle Scout and Scout Camp Naturalist overseeing Nature programs for the Scouts at Camps Tuscazoar and Buckeye in Ohio, member of the Order of the Arrow, active in Church youth groups, and a Baritone player in the middle, high school and Church orchestras. As I read thru Ecclesiastes which has much to say about death, I believe David's life can be summed up in the writings of Ecl. 9:9. RIP Brother.
Ilene Crutchfield
May 8, 2019
Marlis I was so sorry to read about the loss of David. You are in my thoughts.
Katherine Ward
May 6, 2019
My sincere condolences on the death of David. He was a wonderful professor of biology at Saint Mary's College and a cheerful colleague.
May 5, 2019
I would like to offer my sincere condolences to David's family, sorry for your loss. Jeremiah 29:11, 12 assures us that God is thinking thoughts of peace towards us, to give us a future and a hope, and that if we come and pray to Him, He will listen to us. May that bring you comfort at this difficult time.
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