Earl J Sevin

Earl J. Sevin passed away peacefully on February 14, 2026, at the age of 94. Born on November 14, 1931, to Solomon and Rella Sevin, Earl lived a life marked by service, curiosity, devotion to family, and a lifelong love of the outdoors.

Earl proudly served his country as a pilot in the United States Navy from 1953 to 1956 and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal. After completing his military service, he graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology and went on to build a distinguished career as an architect. He served as Vice President of Shannon Construction in Cleveland, Ohio, and also worked for Braun & Spice.

A passionate sailor, Earl was Commodore of the Lakeside Yacht Club and an enthusiastic teacher of celestial navigation, sharing his knowledge of sailing by the stars using a sextant. He was deeply involved in sailing and racing and found great joy and peace on the water.

Earl loved sharing the outdoors with his daughters, creating treasured memories through camping, fishing, skiing, skating, sledding, sailing, swimming, and photography. A lifelong learner, he frequently attended lectures and enrolled in continuing education courses simply for the joy of expanding his knowledge. He was also an avid and skilled bridge player.

Together with his beloved wife, Vivien, Earl traveled extensively throughout the world and cherished every opportunity to visit their children and grandchildren. He was known for his kind heart, gentle spirit, intelligence, and respectful manner. Above all, he was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose presence brought warmth and steadiness to his family.

Earl is survived by his loving wife, Vivien Sevin; his children, Cathy Sevin Nagaich (“Roni”), Amy Sevin Zenobi (“Douglas”), as well as his step-children, Rochelle Paley (“David Fusco”), Keith Paley (“Cynthia”), Daniel Paley (“Tanya”), and Monica Kaufman; his cherished grandchildren, Tara, Zackary, Jayson, Hillary, Alexandra, Charlotte, Matthew, Sophia, Erica, Nathaniel, and Jonathan; his adored great-grandchildren; and his sister-in-law, Phyllis Sevin.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Eugene Sevin.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel, with interment to follow at Mount Olive Cemetery in Solon, Ohio. Shiva will be observed on Tuesday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Rose Senior Living at Beachwood 23611 Havard Rd Beachwood, OH. in the community room.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or to the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.

The funeral service will be live streamed on the Berkowitz Kumin website.

Professional services are entrusted to Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel.