Walter Severs 4th May 1932 - 7th April 2022

A Tribute from Our Group
- by Sylvia Fairbrass  

   One of our group’s long-standing members, Walter Severs, passed away on 7th April 2022 in his 90th year.  Walter was one of the seven founder members and the Secretary of our History Group when it was formed in 2002.

   Walter Severs was born 4th May 1932 in Teesville one of four brothers.   He was proud of their Teesville upbringing where there was a wonderful community spirit – particularly during the war years.   Educated at Teesville School and the Central School, South Bank before transferring to Middlesbrough Technical School, with his twin brother Peter.
   In 1948 he started his apprenticeship at Dorman Long before National Service then returned to Dorman’s spending his 42-year career in the steel industry before early retirement in 1990.
   He became a Chartered Engineer and largely enjoyed his work in the steel industry and was involved in work at all of the Dorman Long sites and later British Steel across the region and witnessed many major changes and developments in the industry.   Environmentally aware he later specialised in waste-water and air pollution and the supply of water to industry.   He was involved with the Kielder Water Reservoir Project and on opening day 26th May 1982 he proudly sat just 4 seats away from Her Majesty the Queen at lunch.   Not a bad achievement for a Teesville lad !

   Walter married Jacqueline in July 1962.   He was very proud of his children Jane, the late Helen, and Victoria.   Adoring Grandad of Louise, Justine and Mark - not forgetting son-in law Colin.   Walter was very much a family man including Jane’s dog Milly shown on the Memorial Service sheet together with Sweet Peas which he loved, even ordering specialist seeds.   He spent many happy hours in his garden.

   Walter was a lifelong teetotaller and prominent member of the Methodist Church in South Bank and Eston Grange where he was Church Treasurer and a member of the Church Council.   He attended Teesville Sunday School as a child and, in later years, assisted running it until it closed.
   He went on to lecture part-time to post-graduate level students at Teesside Polytechnic, as it was then, stating that he could earn more for lecturing 3 evenings than his weekly wage at British Steel.
   He was a school governor for nearly 40 years at Teesville Infants and Ravensworth Junior School also a member of the PTA at Stapylton School.   He and his fellow committee members annually raised thousands of pounds at the Ravensworth School Fete - Walter once told me you have to speculate to accumulate !
   Retirement meant Walter could indulge in his hobbies of which there were many including gardening and bowling at Eston Sports Centre.   He used his publishing skills to great advantage printing high quality wedding invitations, etc and publishing history books on local churches before becoming one of the seven founding members of our Normanby Local History Group as Secretary.   He typeset many of our History Group Publications.

   Walter was active in the local community:   Presiding Officer at Eston Town Hall for the elections;   a life long blood donor receiving his badge for 50 donations;   one of the main organisers of Lime Crescent Street Parties for Royal Weddings & the Queens Jubilees.

   He was also the best neighbour I could have wished for over the last 43 years.

   Walter died the 7th of April 2022, just a month short of his 90th Birthday.
He was a kind man, much respected in the community evident by the huge turnout at his funeral.
People were standing outside the overflow room.
Walter will be very sadly missed.

Funeral Service at St.Bede’s Chapel, Teesside Crematorium
      at 10:30 on Tuesday 26th April 2022

   The service was taken by Reverend Christopher J Wood-Archer attended by Walter’s family, guests and friends.
   So many people attended the service that the chapel was filled to capacity and many had to stand outside to pay their respects.
   Donations in memory of Walter to charities "Breast Cancer Now" and "Scope" amounted to over £1,000.

Order of Service Sheet

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