Lois Elizabeth Severns
OBITUARY
Lois was born in Ord, Nebraska, on November 30, 1930. She passed away on June 14, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas, at age 95.
Lois was the daughter of Roxy Auble and Jacob William Severns and she was welcomed by her half-sisters Wilma and Vera. Two more daughters, Charlene and Marian, soon joined the family. The Severns girls, their parents and their Auble cousins were known in the Ord community for their musical talents.
In 1952, Lois earned a B.A. in English from Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska. Upon graduation, she was honored as one of three students who received the Bronco Award.
After teaching high school English, Lois earned her Master of Library Science from Denver University. For the next 35 years, she worked as a reference librarian in New York City, at Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska and in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. She remained at Fitchburg Public Library for 22 years as Reference Librarian and Head of Adult Services.
Lois loved the challenge of locating information for library patrons – the more challenging, the better! She was an avid reader and documented alphabetically every book she had read. She was a fierce Scrabble player and eagerly completed the daily New York Times crossword puzzle. She also had an extensive collection of jazz albums. Lois passionately followed the Boston Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots and she was a forever fan of Nebraska Cornhuskers football.
Lois made annual trips back to Nebraska to visit family, but after 52 years in the Leominster/Fitchburg, Massachusetts area, she considered New England her home. When Lois hosted visitors, she became the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Ambassador, eager to share her adopted state and its history, beauty, culture and cuisine. Lois moved to Fort Worth, Texas, in August, 2025 to be closer to family.
Survivors are her sister, Charlene Severns of Lincoln, Nebraska; nieces, Sylvia Cook Otto (Don) of Fort Worth, Texas, Jane Shehein Hansen (Glenn) of Billings, Montana, Karen Shehein Halvorsen (Rick Hannah) of Girona, Spain and nephew, Mark LaFon of Lincoln, Nebraska and their families, as wel as dear friends David Streb and Marcia Ladd of Fitchburg and Heidi Hertel-Therrien of Ashburnham, Massachusetts.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Wilma Cook, Vera Morton and Marian Shehein, niece Shandy Shehein Gillett and grandniece Jessica LaFon.
Lois was a member of First Parish UU Church in Fitchburg. Memorials are suggested to the church, 923 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420, or Hastings College, 710 Turner Avenue, Nebraska 68901.
Lois chose to be cremated; her ashes will be buried in Ord Cemetery near Severns and Auble family members.