John George Severson Jr., Ph.D., a respected professor emeritus in the Department of Biology at Saint Louis University (SLU), passed away on March 23, 2024, at the age of 83. His career spanned four decades at SLU, where he contributed significantly to the academic community.
Severson was born on December 14, 1940, in Wenatchee, Washington. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry from Washington State University in 1964. He continued his education at the same institution and earned a master’s degree in teaching in 1968. In 1971, he obtained his doctorate in botany from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. His dissertation focused on “Studies with naphthenic acid in the bush bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.”
Before joining SLU as an assistant professor of biology in 1971, Severson began his career as a research technician while still an undergraduate student at Washington State University from 1962 to 1964. He then taught science and biology at various levels within the Kiona-Benton City School District in Benton City, Washington.
At SLU, Severson advanced to associate professor and also served as associate dean at the College of Arts and Sciences. Additionally, he coordinated undergraduate programs for the Department of Biology and participated actively on numerous university committees involved in searches for department chairs, deans, and registrars.
Throughout his career, Severson received several grants and authored numerous articles and books. Upon retiring in 2011 after four decades of service to SLU, he was honored with emeritus status.
