Paul Sever

Paul Martin Sever, 66, of Salmon, Idaho, passed away on Monday, October 6, 2025, at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, where he was receiving treatment for Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia, his family was by his side. His time of death, 5:01pst, was the same time a mass in his honor began in Salmon, with many friends and family lifting him up in prayer.

Paul was born in Carbondale, PA, the fourth child of six to John Paul and Clara Marie (Nee: Menart) Sever. He arrived on the first day of hunting season, December 1,1958. His dad was not able to go for his hunt that day but was known to quip that he “got his buck anyway”. Paul grew up in Vandling, Pennsylvania, attending Forest City schools and graduating with the Forest City class of 1976. Following graduation Paul perused his dream of becoming a forester. Attending Penn State University in State College, PA. He spent his summers and sometimes the early part of the fall as a wildland firefighter, primarily through Idaho, Montana and the Pacific Northwest. His time as a firefighter is what led him to meet fellow wildland firefighter Jerrilee Squire, who he would marry on June 15, 1985, in Thompson Falls, MT. They celebrated 40 years of marriage this year.

Making their home first in Boise, Idaho. Paul continued working for the United States Forest Service, and Jerrilee continued as a teacher. While in Boise they welcomed their first two children, Courtney and Mark. Paul’s job led them back to Pennsylvania in the early 90’s. Paul worked for the Northeast Region of the USFS in Radnor where he made many lifelong friends in his colleagues. It was there they welcomed their third child, Tessa. The mid 90’s saw a “pit stop” in Blaine, Minnesota before they made their forever home among the mountains and community of Salmon, Idaho in 1998. It was in Salmon where Paul worked as the fire center coordinator on the Salmon and Challis National Forest until his retirement in 2015. Paul continued to travel and work details in fire centers nationwide through 2024, he loved each place he got to assist and the people he got to meet there often became friends.

Paul’s drive in life was his family, being present for dance recitals, ball games, plays and concerts. He loved to be outside hunting, hiking or camping or just taking one of the dogs for a walk. He shared his love for food with Courtney and Tessa, though they didn’t get as adventurous as he did, they would often find this a focus of conversation, swapping recipes they found or talking about the menu where they would be eating at. He enjoyed cooking for family and friends, especially any game he had hunted himself.

It’s safe to say his absolute greatest joy in life was when he became a Papa! His two grandsons, Bode and Benjamin, held such a special place in his heart and life. Over the last four years there was hardly a month where he did not see them at least once. They would play and read stories and create chaos, it was an incredibly special relationship, one the boys were so lucky to have and will feel a great loss in. He was very much looking forward to adding a third grandchild to the mix and expressed his worry that he wouldn’t be here.

He and Jerrilee were blessed with several years of retirement together, it allowed them to be present with family near and far, and to travel extensively. Notable trips included Hawaii with the whole family and on their own, Slovenia and Croatia where they connected with cousins and the old family property, leaf peeping in New England last fall and a tour to see nearly every family member they could along the way, and the month before he got sick Southern Australia and Tasmania. They even made a quick trip to Glacier National Park among his treatment breaks this summer.

Paul was an active member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, where he was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, he served in the state council and was former Grand Knight. He would lector, work the beer booth for the fair, lead communion service and serve anywhere he was called in the church. Faith and family were two of the most important things in Paul’s life and this is what helped him and Jerrilee through the toughest of challenges, especially the sudden death of Mark in February 2005, just shy of his 15th birthday. This allowed Paul to refocus some of his energy into helping coordinate and build the baseball field in Mark’s honor, a project he was proud to be a part of. He was a member of the National Ski Patrol and Lost Trail Ski Patrol for 14 years, and found great friends within his team. Tessa even joined him as a patroller these last few years, early morning groomer laps before the mountain opened were some of their favorite times together.

Paul’s giving nature was not only to his family and church, but also in the form of red blood cell and platelet donation, giving any opportunity he could. This came full circle as through his treatment he received countless amounts of blood and platelets. He would encourage you to donate when you can. He was a lifelong NY Giants fan and a constant supporter of the Nittany Lions through his last days.

Paul’s legacy of love will live on through his family who feels lost without him: his beloved wife Jerrilee (Nee: Squire) Sever of Salmon; his daughters: Courtney (Eli) Molloy of Missoula, MT, and Tessa (partner Garrett Helfrich) Sever of Salmon; grandchildren Bode, Benjamin, and Callum Molloy; siblings: Bob (Mary) Sever of Stroudsburg, PA, Nancy (Bob) Sever Muniz of Las Vegas, NV, Carl (Tami) Sever of Kunkletown, PA; in-laws: Lori Sever of Severna Park, MD, Patty (Marty) Allen of Gresham, OR, Bob (Kathleen) Squire of Peru, NY, Renee (Toby) Gooden of Cape Coral, FL, and David Squire of Thompson Falls, MT; his mother-in-law Jerrilee (Darwin) Hoeft of Custer, SD; a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family and countless friends.

He was preceded in death, and we are sure he was welcomed in Heaven by: his son Mark Squire Sever; brothers Luke and Johnny Sever; and parents John and Clara Sever. We’d be remiss to not mention his canine companions who we know awaited him with wagging tails: Bozo, Ayla, Darbie, and Oakley.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place, Friday, November 14, 2025, at 12noon, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Salmon. A rosary will begin1 hour prior to service and inurnment will follow the mass at the Salmon City Cemetery. The family invites all who wish to join them to wear Paisley, which was Paul’s “favorite color.”

Donations are encouraged to the Lost Trail Ski Patrol. Checks may be made out to LTSP and mailed to: Lost Trail Ski Patrol, Memorial Donations Attn: Darla Lilly, P. O. Box 213, Stevensville, MT, 59870, or you may find a link using the QR code below. 

Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula, MT.