Severt M. Hoveland was born May 8, 1904, to Severine and Martha (Erstad) Hovland at Rushmore, Minnesota. He was the fifth of eight children. In 1908, when he was four years old, he moved with his family to a homestead near Nowlin, South Dakota.

Severt attended Pleasant View School in Haakon County. On January 2, 1920, he received a diploma for completing the course of study prescribed by Law for the Common Schools of South Dakota.

Severt married Josephine "Josie" Tennyson on May 29, 1925 at Ft. Pierre, South Dakota. Two children were born to this union.

They lived in the area of Van Meter, Powell, and Nowlin before moving to Wall, South Dakota in 1941.

Severt worked forty-eight years on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad as section foreman, starting in 1921 and retiring in 1969. Following his retirement from the railroad, he worked for the Wall Drug Store painting in the mall, art gallery, dining room, and dormitories.

Severt was an avid big game hunter, particularly Black Hills deer. He and his wife enjoyed this sport for many years. Other hobbies included trap shooting and bowling at which he earned many awards and trophies. He and his wife also traveled frequently.

Severt was a member of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Wall.

Following his wife’s death in 1988, Severt remained in his own home for about ten years. In November of 1998, he moved into the Silver Leaf Assisted Living Center in Philip, South Dakota where he resided until moving into the Philip Nursing Home in August 2000.

He is survived by two granddaughters and their families, Deborah, her husband Bill Young of Honeoye Falls, New York and their three daughters, Christine, Katie, and Kelly; Janet Ruhland and her husband, Wayne of Waunakee, Wisconsin, and their children Rebecca Schrader and her husband Brian, and Benjamin; a daughter in-law, Bridget Hovland of Howard, SD; a former son in-law, Wayne Percy of Rapid City, SD; three sisters-in-law, Mary Jane Hovland of Rapid City, RueAdene Hovland of Custer, SD, and Betty Tennyson Larsen of Philip; several nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to his wife, Josephine Hoveland, he was preceded in death by his son, John Hoveland; a daughter, Ramona Percy; his parents, Severine and Martha Hovland; two sisters, Anna Nelson and Sadie Edwards; and five brothers, Karel who died at birth, Johnnie who died at age twelve, Carl, Reuben, and Anton.

Funeral services for Severt M. Hoveland, age 96 of Wall, was held 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 20, 2001 at the First Lutheran Church in Wall with Pastor David Schwan officiating.

Visitation was held 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, April 19, 2001 and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 20, 2001 all at the Rush Funeral Chapel in Wall and one hour preceding the services at the church on Friday.

Interment was in the Wall Cemetery, Wall, South Dakota.