Alfred Marion Severson Celebrating a Well-Lived Life Alfred Marion Severson, known by "Fred' to many, was born in Kellogg, Idaho to his parents, Robert and Lucretia Severson on October 26, 1937. He grew up with his three siblings, James, JoAnne, and Frieda, and lived in Kellogg until the early 1950's.  He had many fond memories of his siblings and growing up in Kellogg, and some of his childhood adventures including chasing a rainbow across town looking for a pot of gold, and sharing the old tale of the Kellogg donkey that discovered Coeur d' Alene in 1885 and put Kellogg on the map – which was also made into a famous highway sign.  He had a love for music and excelled in the clarinet and accordion, later teaching his own children and others to play these instruments. When Fred's father accepted a job in the Hanna Nickel Mine in Riddle, Oregon, the family made their way to the area. In 1954, and at the age of 17, Fred joined the United States Navy and proudly served for twenty years.  If you took any time to chat with Fred, you likely heard a story about his time in the air or at sea.  Not long after joining the Navy, he met Nancy Moore, and married her three days later.  They had three wonderful children; Linda (Soper), Robert, and Vernon.  Between his Navy calling which took him to all 50 states and multiple countries, and raising his three kids, he kept busy.  He loved sharing the National Parks and beautiful places around the United States with his kids. When the boys were young, Bob played Little League and Fred coached for a time. Vernon was a bat boy, and Fred was so proud! In 1974, Fred retired from the Navy and moved the family to the Douglas County area in Oregon. He was able to care for his aging mother who resided in Roseburg.  Not long after retirement, Linda and Dean helped Fred earn the special t itle of Grandfather when their sons Alfred and Stephen were born – he loved these boys and their children, and grandchildren, until his last days.  After retirement from the service, Fred was finally able to find time for his passion: gold prospecting.  On the weekends, he could be found at his favorite mining claims – notably, the Cow Creek area.  Between weekend treasure hunts, Fred started his own prospecting business selling dredges, gold pans, metal detectors, and many other supplies.  Fred regularly attended summer festivals where he could sell his prospecting equipment and teach those that were curious about gold panning and prospecting.  Fred was also a "Rock Hound" and could identify many rocks and minerals, keeping a beautiful display of his favorites in his home.  While living in other parts of the country, he would seek out the perfect rock, even if it meant climbing the rugged ridges of Maine.   The 1970's were great years for Fred; He worked for a security company, and then Roseburg Lumber, where he only worked 29 days since his foreman put his life in grave danger. "Fred being Fred" gave him a stern talking to… Then, Fred was off to find another job! After some thought, he enrolled at Umpqua Community College and graduated in 1975 with an Associate's degree in Science for Automotive Technology.  He accepted a job at Koble's Brakes and Alignment, and later went to work for Champion mill until they eventually closed.   Just when Fred was settling in, he met Ann LaFountaine at the Golden Delight Bakery in the mid 1980's who became the love of his life. After becoming close friends and dating for a few years, they married in 1987.  Fred saved one-month's salary to buy her a proper Black Hill's Gold wedding ring set, and began this new endeavor which included happily accepting and raising five additional children as if they were his own: April, Michael, Jennifer, Lacey, and Joseph.  Not long after the marriage, Fred adopted all five children because as he put it, "it was the right thing to do." Or, as a close friend shared: "because he was a stand-up guy."  From the f irst day until the last, Fred was a great role-model, supporter, and protector of his family.  Fred made sure to highlight and support the interests of each of his children, which included building a turtle pond and gardens with April; supporting Mike as he learned to ride a bike while becoming lifelong sidekicks who enjoyed watching T.V. together; teaching Jenny to play the clarinet while he played along with the accordion as they both enjoyed playing instruments; staying up late into the night with Lacey watching old movies and sharing stories of his travels around the world to distract her from growing pains; and following Joe to the far corners of Oregon as Fred and Ann tirelessly supported the many sports in which he participated.  After Champion closed, he found a new job that he cherished which was working for the Winston-Dillard School District as a groundskeeper, and for the District Office as a custodian until he retired… again.  While the U.S. Navy was his passion, working as a groundskeeper and custodian made him the happiest.  The freedom of the mower was something he looked forward to as he used this time for reflection and reveled in the stress-free outdoor atmosphere.  He also set out for a new adventure when he opened Goofy Golf with Ann in the mid 1990's on Highway 42 in Winston, Oregon.  Although this business model was not a big money maker, it was a place that brought joy to the community. Whether it was a group of young kids stopping by on their bikes, Prom dates celebrating a milestone evening, or a couple of feral attendees yelling "fore" as a golf ball flew over the fence boundaries and across the highway to the VFW parking lot, there was always something exciting happening at Goofy Golf! Fred finally retired (for real this time) in 2002 after he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and went through his first battle.  A few years later, the cancer returned making Fred a "one-lung man." But this didn't stop him or slow him down!  He kept on doing what he loved and defied the odds.  And he didn't have the time to be sick, because Ann kept him busy attending farmers markets, traveling for craft shows, and helping with the kids and grandkids. He also supported Ann's dreams and ambitions to so become a Master Gardener which she did over 10 years ago and enjoys to this day. You could find Fred and Ann at several local restaurants in Winston, Oregon, nearly every day as this social time is what Fred truly loved.  He enjoyed the company of his friends and the "employees" who were actually family to Fred.  He met countless people who later became part of his bigger family, namely, Mike Bennett who was Fred's "last best friend on Earth."  Mike's wife, Debbi, also supported Fred and Ann to make sure that this cherished social time was honored for Fred throughout his last days.  As you can see, there is a theme related to Fred and his love for family and friends.  His best days were spent visiting the folks he held dear, often having large celebrations in his modest, sturdy, and well-maintained home that he bought in 1979.  He loved all of his family and friends, and the numerous grandchildren (14), great grandchildren (5), and great-great grandchild (1) that made his heart whole.  Not to be forgotten are the furry family members that Fred cared for and that devotedly provided companionship at the end of his life: Howl and Wini.  All of these people and creatures, great and small, brought comfort to Fred as he ended his chapter here on Earth to begin adventures anew.