Rex C. Severt, age 97, of Washington, Iowa, formerly of Wellman, Iowa, died Tuesday, January 17, 2017, at Halcyon House in Washington, Iowa.

Celebration of life services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 20, 2017, at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home in Washington with Pastor Ben Blanchard officiating. Calling hours will begin noon Friday at the Jones & Eden Home where the family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Interment will take place at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington. Memorials have been established for the Halcyon House Good Samaritan Fund. Online condolences may be sent for Rex's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com

Rex was born May 3, 1919, in Wayland, Iowa, the son of Ross and Baja (Wenger) Severt. He attended school in Wayland, Iowa, and graduated from Wellman High School in 1936. Rex attended Washington Jr. College in Washington, Iowa. Rex was united in marriage to Betty Jones on May 21, 1939 in Rochester, Minnesota.

Rex lived in Wellman, Iowa, from 1935 until moving to Washington in 1995. He worked at the Wellman Savings Bank for three years. Rex was a Rural Mail Carrier for the Wellman Post Office and was later Postmaster from 1947 until 1974. He was a fifty year member of the Asbury Methodist Church in Wellman and was currently a member of the United Methodist Church in Washington. He was a Veteran of World War II serving honorably in the United States Navy. Rex was Past Master of the Dayton Masonic Lodge in Wellman, he served on the Wellman Library Board and was Financial Secretary of the Asbury United Methodist Church. He served on the Mid Prairie School Board for six years and also served on the Heritage Area Agency on Aging Board for several years where he was named Outstanding Senior Citizen for Washington County in 1988.

He is survived by son, R. Allen Severt and wife Julia of West Des Moines, Iowa; daughter, Linda Dasovic of Omaha, Nebraska; daughter-in-law, Sheila Severt of North English, Iowa; four grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Gertrude Jones of Washington, Iowa.

Rex was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Betty; one son, Willis "Bill" Carl Severt; one granddaughter, Sonia; an infant brother; and one step sister.