History & Staff
We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.
Our History
.The Severino Family has been serving families since 1967, Ernest “Butch” Severino started his career working for his relatives who had an established Italian American funeral home serving the northwest side of Chicago. Ernie worked and served his apprenticeship and went out on his own as a trade embalmer working for several funeral homes on a trade basis. He worked his way up to his own mortuary service, crematory, eventually building a business over 50 years with his wife and children who are also licensed funeral directors establishing a family following. The Severino’s have handled over 10,000 funerals in their 51 year service to their community.
- Our Valued Staff
Ernest Severino, Funeral Director (Simi Retired)
A 1968 graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Ernie has been a funeral director for over 50 years – a founder of the original Air Care (Inman Worldwide Shipping) a division of Continental Mortuary Air Shippers which handles over 12,000 human remains shipments nationally and internationally a year. Was a pioneer in the development of Air Shipping trays so human remains could be returned home on airplanes for less cost to a family? A former owner of American Mortuary Services from 1970 – 1980 which handled over 900 service calls a month to funeral homes in the Chicago land area. This was the first full service facility serving funeral homes throughout Chicagoland for removals and preparations of deceased. In June of 1977 Ernie moved into a new facility at O’Hare Airport to provide shipping services of remains to funeral homes throughout the USA and Europe and installing the first crematory,(Cremation Services Inc.) outside of a cemetery. In 1979 Ernie partnered with Pat Covington creating C.M.A.S. Continental Mortuary Air Shippers serving 12,000 U.S. airports providing a new form of shipping container for human remains. In 1984 Ernie and Pat Covington partnered with Robert Inman to form Air Care for worldwide shipping of human remains still operating today as Inman Worldwide Shipping which handles 18,000 human remains shipment around the world. A pioneer in mortuary shipping who designed the casket air tray and combination remains shipping casket and with his partners developed and set up disaster teams throughout the United States. In 1998 Ernie and his wife opened Alternative Funeral Services the first low cost funeral and cremation service designed for needy families who could not afford traditional funerals. In 2000 he opened Severino’s River Woods Funeral Chapels in Des Plaines, Illinois. His dedication to funeral service and experience spans over 50 years, An accomplished embalmer who has prepared over 17,000 human remains. His hobbies are coaching youth hockey, cooking, travel, writing and is a published author. Ernie is currently a Member of National Funeral Directors Association, Illinois Funeral Directors Association, The British Embalmers Institute of England, The National Association of Mortuary Shippers, Past President of the St. Emily Men’s Club, a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, and The Knights of Templar. He operates the funeral service with his daughter Dina who is also a funeral director and consider themselves a true family funeral home serving other families in there time of need.
Dina Marie Severino, Funeral Director
Dina graduated Worsham College of Mortuary Science and obtained her funeral director and embalmers licence in 1990, and has been serving families for 28 years. She is a vital part of her father's business providing comfort to families over the years with her ever caring personality. Her personal compassion and attention to families at their time of need is natural for helping people through the worst days of their lives. Always there for her friends with her sound advise and help.
Gabriel Juliano Severino, Funeral Attendant
Gabriel graduated from Heresy High School in Mount Prospect in 2015. He attended Harper Jr. College in Palatine and went on to Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. He works at the funeral home as a funeral attendant learning the business from his father but now is attending Indiana State college, Teaching Cognitive science as a professor and taking classes himself to get his doctorate, His goal in life is helping people and his personality matches that. His best friend is his Samoyed dog named Goose and the family dog Laddie. He played hockey for 9 years as a goalie for the Glenview Stars and the Hersey High school Varsity team. He plays the guitar and loves music.
Mason Severino, Funeral Service Administration / Secretary / Receptionist
Mason Severino, Funeral Service Administration / Secretary / ReceptionistHersey High School, Mason serves our firm as receptionist and financial secretary. Mason loves to travel and is working on a career as a animation specialist. He has traveled and attended several Anime Conventions, His talent for art is amazing and has shown his animation drawings at art showings and has sold his drawings as prints and has been very successful in that field. He will be attending Harper College this fall to further her dream of Art design in the animation field and character generating He loves animals especially Gabes dog Goose and his dog Laddie, his cats Milkshake, Garfield and Skeeter.