Son of Dr. Elmer Louis Severinghaus (1894-1980) and Grace Colby Severinghaus, of Madison Wisc.; younger brother of Pat Severinghaus Melgard (11-8-25 – 3-16-20), of Seattle, and Dr. John Wendell Severinghaus, of Ross, Calif. (b. 5-6-22); uncle of Wendy (Severinghaus) Djuric, Jeff, Ed, Mark and Jean Severinghaus
The family exhibited a sense of social conscience in many ways. Elmer took his medical expertise to rural Indonesia, Pat cofounded the interracial Seattle Central Branch Preschool in Seattle and Ed spent a college summer picking up World War II rubble in Europe.
He is survived by his second wife, Barbara Graham, and his first wife, Joan, and their children, Amy Severinghaus, Anna Gross and Julia Morgan, and stepdaughter Sheila Peel.
Ed followed sister Pat to Seattle after receiving his doctorate in psychiatry from Yale University, New Haven, Conn. From his Seattle front yard dock he paddled across the Mountlake cut to work at the University of Washington Hospital. Never a problem with parking. Ed saw patients in a private practice, which he established later in Edmonds, Wash. There he met his first wife, Joan. During those years, he played violin with the Edmonds Symphony Orchestra and developed an interest in photography
Ed attended workshops held at the Whidbey Institute in Clinton, Wash., on Whidbey Island. During semi-retirement, he moved to Whidbey Island and bought a house in Langley. On Whidbey he met his second wife, Barbara E. Graham. They were married Feb. 23, 1992.
After his retirement in 1994, he turned his attention to camping, kayaking, hiking and backpacking with Barbara. For several years Ed drove for South Whidbey Senior Services Meals on Wheels program, delivering food to housebound elderly. He continued photography and built a darkroom to developed and print his infrared and black-and-white photos.
He cofounded the Artists Cooperative Gallery of Langley and played violin in the local Saratoga Orchestra.
His remains will be cremated. There will be no funeral service because of the COVID pandemic. Donations in his memory may be made to Senior Services of Island County, 14594 Highway 525, Langley, WA 98260.
