Leavenworth’s long-serving Father Christmas, David Severance, passed away on April 11 th, 2023. Dave was a unique individual with a long history of public service and community involvement. He was a long-serving officer of the Seattle Police Department as was his brother Micheal who passed away just before Davids passing. A unique point in the Severance family history is that David and Mikes father was the company commander of the United States Marines company that raised the American flag on Iwo Jimi after the bloody battle for that island during WWII. The iconic photo of that flag raising became the model for the Marine Corp monument in Washington DC.
Dave retired from the Seattle Police Department in 1994 and moved to his adopted community of Leavenworth where he began a long history of involvement in community affairs including his long-time role as Father Christmas. He was also a member of the Chelan County Sheriff’s Advisory Committee and each May organized and chaired the annual Police Week ceremony in Wenatchee commemorating fallen officers.
A community Celebration of Life ceremony honoring Dave will be held at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, June 14th at the Festhall in Leavenworth. A complete obituary can be read at DAVID ELLIOTT SEVERANCE JR. | The Leavenworth Echo