KENNETH SEVERSON

SHELBURNE — Kenneth Severson, a resident of Wake Robin in Shelburne, Vt., passed away peacefully June 29, 2026, at the age of 98.

Kenneth was born Sept. 6, 1927, in Forest City, Iowa, the son of Ben and Bertha (Roseland) Severson. He married the love of his life, Phyllis Bingham of Portland, Maine, Aug. 16, 1953.

A proud veteran of World War II, Kenneth served in the U.S. Army Occupation of Japan from 1946 to 1948. During his service, he witnessed history firsthand, including attending the trials of General Hideki Tojo, who ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Mamoru Shigemitsu, who signed Japan’s surrender on behalf of the Japanese government alongside General Douglas MacArthur. His account of these remarkable experiences was published in Our Great War, a collection of stories written by residents of Wake Robin.

Kenneth graduated from Forest City High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, where he was elected to the national debate and forensics honor society. He later received a master’s degree from Columbia University, a Certificate of Advanced Study from the University of Vermont, completed two years of graduate study at Harvard University in preparation for becoming a superintendent of schools, and earned a Doctor of Education degree from Nova Southeastern University.

Education was Kenneth’s lifelong passion. During a distinguished 41-year career, he served students and communities in Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire as a teacher, principal, business manager, assistant superintendent, superintendent, and interim superintendent. Early in his career in Iowa, his students earned state honors in several oratorical competitions.

He served as principal in Ackley, Iowa; Middletown Springs, Vt.; and Pittsford-Barstow, Vt.; then as superintendent for schools in Ludlow, Mount Holly, Plymouth, Shrewsbury and Wallingford, Vt. In 1961, he became principal of Middlebury Union Junior and High School, a position he held for 18 years before serving as the district’s business manager. He later became Assistant Superintendent in Hooksett, N.H., followed by Superintendent of Schools in Raymond, N.H., where he served until his retirement in 1993. In 1994, he was called upon once again to serve public education as Interim Superintendent of the Addison Northwest Supervisory Union in Vermont.

Kenneth’s commitment to service extended well beyond education. He served on the Vermont Teacher Certification Review Board and was a life member of both the American Association of School Administrators and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. As Scoutmaster of the Middlebury Boy Scouts, he led an all-Vermont expedition to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico in 1965.

A devoted community leader, Kenneth served as Master of the Middlebury Masonic Lodge and as Addison County admissions chairman for Shriners Hospitals for Children. He was a life member of the Cairo Shriners and the American Legion, served as President of the Middlebury Lions Club, and dedicated his time as a justice of the peace, a member of the Middlebury Board of Civil Authority, and chairman of the Middlebury Democratic Committee.

His faith was central to his life. At Middlebury Congregational Church, Kenneth served on the church council, as a deacon, and as chairman of the Board of Trustees. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, he also served his community as Director of Civil Defense for Middlebury.

Kenneth is survived by his children, David, Jeffrey, Dana, and Nancy; his grandchildren, Katelyn, Alex, Daniel, Kelly, Margaret, and Dylan; and his great-grandchildren, Jack, Madison, and Michael.

He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Phyllis, and was the last surviving of the fourteen children born to Bendik and Bertha Severson, Norwegian immigrants whose values of hard work, education, and service shaped the remarkable life he led.

Kenneth will be remembered as an educator, veteran, mentor, community leader, and devoted family man whose life of service touched countless students, colleagues, friends, and neighbors. His legacy lives on through the many lives he enriched and the family he loved so deeply.

The ashes of Kenneth and Phyllis will be buried at the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph, Vt. There will be a short ceremony in the chapel Friday, July 31, at 1 p.m., followed by the opportunity to visit the burial site to pay respects. ◊