Where Values Meet Action: The Story Behind the Fedje Family Legacy Award
Honoring a Legacy of Generosity
United Way of Cass-Clay recently introduced the Fedje Family Legacy UNITED Award, created to recognize individuals, families, or organizations whose generosity of time, talent, and resources strengthens our community.
The award is named for Noel and Judy Fedje, whose commitment to helping others shaped Cass and Clay counties for more than 50 years.
Their leadership through philanthropy and hands-on volunteerism showed that strong communities are built not only with resources but also with care, action, and involvement.
In the past 25 years alone, Noel and Judy contributed more than $1 million to United Way. Their philosophy of giving inspired countless others to volunteer, donate, and support families in need.
“They felt deeply blessed, and they wanted to share this abundance with other people. It was a stewardship.” — Kari Rasmus Fedje
Noel passed away in 2025, but the values he shared with Judy and their daughters — Kari, Lori, Jill, and Julie — continue to inspire others across the community.
“Giving back was a way of life. It was a way that you engage in the community.” — Jill Fedje
The First Recipients
The inaugural recipients of the Fedje Family Legacy UNITED Award are Al and Mary Severson, longtime neighbors and close friends of the Fedje family.
Like the Fedjes, the Seversons have spent more than 50 years giving back through philanthropy, volunteerism, and by teaching their children and grandchildren the importance of serving others.
For Al, that passion began with a simple moment — a lard and mustard sandwich.
As an eighth grader, Al walked a mile each day to a small country school near his family’s ranch outside Clear Lake, South Dakota. Like most kids, he didn’t think much about what he had: a home, warmth, and food on the table.
Until one day at lunch.
Some of his classmates opened their lunches.
“They had lard and mustard sandwiches,” Al recalled. “That’s what they had. That’s all they had.”
Another time, he watched neighbors quietly deliver food to a family who had run out.
Moments like these stayed with him. They shaped his understanding of generosity and community and helped inspire a lifelong commitment to ensuring others had what they needed.
Like Noel and Judy, Al and Mary have been long-time United Way of Cass-Clay Tocqueville donors. Established in 1984, Tocqueville is United Way’s global major giving society with more than 22,000 members contributing over $480 million annually.
Shared Values, Shared Community
The Fedjes and the Seversons were more than neighbors. They were friends who shared coffee, conversation, and a philosophy of generosity.
Jill Fedje says one of the most powerful lessons her parents taught was simple:
“They always talked about living your values, not your pocketbook or your checkbook. Your values should drive your purpose in life. Your values should drive how you show up in the world each day.
What I hope people understand when they hear about this award is that philanthropy is a practice. It’s not just a way of writing a check, but a way of approaching your life day by day and showing up for people who are struggling.”
Kari shared:
“I think mom and dad were a really good team. You have dad’s financial wisdom on one hand, and then mom—a cornerstone of who mom is is her faith. It was a natural expression of that alchemy between having the resources as well as the response to: ‘How do I make this world a better place?’”
Both the Fedjes and the Seversons continue to embody this spirit. Through their thoughtful generosity, they have made our community a better place for thousands of individuals and hundreds of families over the past five decades.
A few lines hand-written by Noel Fedje as he prepared for a United Way presentation in 2004.
Celebrating Decades of Generosity
The Fedje Family Legacy UNITED Award was presented to Al and Mary Severson at the United Way Community Celebration & Annual Meeting.
A story about the Fedje Family Legacy UNITED Award and its first honorees was featured in The Forum on Sunday, March 8. Read the full story here.