Barbara Severson

Barbara Severson, age 70, of Pine Lake, rural Gonvick, MN, passed away on Monday (December 16th) at Essentia Hospital in Fosston, MN after a courageous battle with cancer. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday (December 20th) at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston with the Rev. John Dalen officiating. Family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service on Friday at the funeral home. Arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston and messages of condolence may be sent at carlinhoialmen.com.She was born in Robbinsdale, Minnesota on July 25, 1943 to the late Emil and Catherine Wilken. Barbara graduated from Montevideo High School in Minnesota and attended college at Saint Cloud State University. She married Donald Severson on November 30, 1963 and they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary this summer at Pelican Lake with a large group of family and friends.Barb and Don became owners of the Coast to Coast Hardware store in Vinton, Iowa in 1967 and raised their two children in this much loved community. In 1990 they moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where Barb worked at Carlson Companies as a Senior Operations Manager. They embarked on an extended period of semi-retirement in 2000 that allowed them to spend winters in Casa Grande, Arizona and summers at Airstream Park in Clear Lake, Minnesota. Barb was extremely happy to be close to her parents Emil and Joann during this time.The latest chapter of their life began with fulltime retirement at Big Pine Lake near Gonvick in Northern Minnesota. In 2008 they built a lake home and enjoyed fishing, large family gatherings, fabulous sunsets and numerous adventures with their wonderful friends (who also happen to be family) Dave and Betty Benson. Barbara is survived by her husband Don Severson and her two children, Catherine Severson of Chicago, Illinois and Craig Severson of Elk River, Minnesota; her seven grandchildren; her stepmother Joann Wilken; brother David Wilken and; her two adored cats Tony and Smokey. Honorary Pallbearers: Matthew Miller, Michael Miller, Ann Edmondson and Peter Huot.