2020 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 52
BY SENATOR FOIL
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
death of Charles E. Severance.
WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the citizens of Louisiana
learned of the death of Charles E. Severance on March 22, 2020, at the age of ninety-seven;
and
WHEREAS, Charles E. Severance was a native of Darlington, South Carolina, and
a longtime resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Severance built his life around family, friends, and service, and
valued education, a strong work ethic, and loyalty; and
WHEREAS, he worked selflessly and tirelessly to help others, including supporting
all six of his children through college; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Severance was a strong supporter of 4-H and a member of the
Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, he grew up on the family farm in Darlington of modest means and won
the national 4-H Electrical Contest to earn a scholarship to attend Clemson University; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Severance was called to service by his country in World War II,
serving from 1943 to 1946 in the 97th Infantry Division, was stationed at Camp Lucky Strike
in France, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge; and
WHEREAS, he was also stationed in Japan, and after World War II, he completed
his undergraduate degree from Clemson University in 1949 and earned a Master of Science
in 1957 from Louisiana State University (LSU) in agricultural engineering; and
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WHEREAS, his first job after graduation was with LSU Cooperative Extension,
where he proudly worked until his retirement; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Severance loved Louisiana, enjoying family time at the camp he
built on False River, attending 4-H events across the state, and hosting large family
gatherings in Zachary, Louisiana, where his wife Winifred grew up; and
WHEREAS, he also shared Winifred's passion for LSU as a long-time football
season ticket holder, enjoyed crawfish boils and many other events with his close friends at
the LSU Faculty Club, and supported four of his children in their pursuit of degrees from
LSU; and
WHEREAS, in honor of his seventy-fifth birthday, the Charles E. Severance
Endowed Fellowship was created to benefit LSU students majoring in biological and
agricultural engineering; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Severance loved to serve his community and was a member of the
Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Survey Board, the Capital Area Soil and Water
Conservation Committee, the LSU Faculty Club Board, the EBR Cattleman's Association,
the EBR Farm Bureau, and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers,
and served as a past commander of American Legion Boyd-Ewing Post 58; and
WHEREAS, he received numerous honors and distinctions for his service over the
years and utilized his Professional Registered Engineer's license to design many structures
related to the 4-H camp as well as Cooperative Extension offices and livestock show
facilities across the state; and
WHEREAS, Charles and Winifred Severance lived more than sixty years on Albert
Hart Drive where they raised their six children and where they planted oak seedlings upon
moving into their new home; and
WHEREAS, those seedlings took root and are now beautiful, massive oak trees,
which serve as a reminder of the lasting love they bestowed upon their family and everyone
who knew them; and
WHEREAS, the family home was a cherished gathering spot throughout the years,
as the children and grandchildren loved to enjoy the home and life that Charles and Winifred
built; and
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WHEREAS, Mr. Severance is survived by his children: Susan, Ann, Kay, Barbara,
and Bill; and grandchildren: Liz, Patrick, Paul, Annie, Caroline, Charles, Emma, and Klara;
and
WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of sixty-one years,
Winifred Loudon Severance; their eldest son, Charles E. Severance Jr.; his parents, William
James and Malissie McAlister Severance; and his siblings Raymond, Hudson, and Mary
Eunice; and
WHEREAS, with the death of Charles E. Severance, Louisiana has lost one of its
finest sons, a quintessential southern gentleman who loved his community and whose
accomplishments have left an indelible mark upon his community, state, and nation; and
WHEREAS, his death has left a substantial void in the Baton Rouge community and
a sense of loss in the citizens whose lives he touched, and his memory shall live forever in
the minds and hearts of all those who knew and loved this remarkable gentleman.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby express sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the death of Charles E.
Severance, record for posterity his outstanding achievements, and extend enduring
appreciation for the tremendous pride and honor that he will forever bring to the Baton
Rouge community, the state of Louisiana, and the United States of America.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Charles E. Severance.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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