Ruby Viola Severson, age 86, a resident of Bartlett, IL died Tuesday, July 20, 2010, at home. She was born December 23, 1922, on a farm 15 miles south of Bagley, Minnesota, the daughter of Edward and Olga Benson. She had four sisters – Mabel, Hilda, Gladys, and Florence – and one brother, Glenn.

On August 15, 1942, she married Arne Severson. They lived in various places in Minnesota where Arne farmed and where their children – Roland, Dick, Shirley, and Carol – were born.

In the fall of 1963, Ruby and Arne moved to Illinois: first to Bloomingdale, then to Wheaton. They have lived in Bartlett since 1991.

Ruby and Arne have been members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church since 1965. Among others, Ruby was active with the Tuesday Morning Quilting group, and a number of the quilts on which she had been working this past year are on display. In her retirement years, Ruby was active in numerous volunteer activities, most notably were Meals on Wheels, Bartlett Food Bank, and Crop Walk for Hunger.

Ruby and Arne celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary in August, 2009.

Ruby is survived by her husband, Arne; her sister, Florence; her children; and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Friday, July 24, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. until the time of a funeral service to be held at 3:00 p.m. at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 802 E. Geneva Road, in Wheaton.

Interment is private at Memory Gardens, in Arlington Heights, IL.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 802 E. Geneva Road, Wheaton, IL 60187.