Gayle Ann Stensland Severson

WEST LIBERTY, Iowa — Gayle Ann Stensland Severson, 79, passed away Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Prairie Hills Assisted Living in Tipton.

Gayle Ann Stensland was born June 11, 1943, in Canton, South Dakota, to Orville and Lois (McCormick) Stensland. She was raised on the family farm in Larchwood and graduated from Larchwood High School in 1961.

Gayle lived in Ironwood, Michigan, where she was active at Salem Lutheran Church. She was also a para educator at Luther L. Wright High School. Gayle later moved to West Liberty where she worked at West Liberty Community Schools as a para educator and was active at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Gayle was a very kind soul and a very stubborn Norwegian. She enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Education meant a lot to her, along with religion. Gayle enjoyed the outdoors and when she could, riding her bike. She enjoyed taking a ride and loved the fall colors when living in Michigan. She was the one who would get on the roof and shovel the snow off, use her scoop (which none of her children could do correctly) and enjoyed mowing her lawn. Three important things Gayle lived by were; family, faith and fate.

Gayle was the mother of Deborah, Jeff and Brenda. She is survived by her daughter, Deb (Curt) Kivi and her three children: Shawn (Sonia Cano) and their children, Magaly, Daisy, Jayleen, Kalea, Sisu, Marliyah, Frank and Luna; Tanya (Jim McBride) and their children, James, Emily, Rowan, Aurora, Moira, Lennox and Eleanor; and Calvin (Jen Kitchen Gibbs) and their child, Haley. She is further survived by daughter, Brenda (Jerry) Simon and their three children, Kennedi (J.T. Cunningham), Cassedi and Maddie (Fred Green); sister, Jan Stensland (Wheat Ridge, CO); brother, Denny (Janet) Stensland of Larchwood; sister-in-law, Marsha Stensland of Canton, South Dakota; sister, Jean (Mike) Gerritsen of Ankeny; sister, Linda (Marty) Doherty of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; sister-in-law, Carol Reinsch of Salina, Kansas; brother-in-law, Bob (June) Severson, of West Liberty; sister-in-law, Ruth (Denny) Holland of Gilbert, Arizona, and sister-in-law Sharon (Sam) Moser of Fort Dodge, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation was held on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Liberty with funeral service held immediately following. Burial was held in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in West Liberty.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com. A memorial fund has been established. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty is caring for Gayle’s family.