Ms. Hallowell was passionate about causes dear to her heart - women's issues, the
rights of adopted children. Bright and focused, she reinvented herself professionally on more than one occasion.
She graduated from Collingswood High School and earned a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University's Douglass College and a juris doctor from the University of Akron.
After working as a clerk at The Inquirer in the early 1980s, Ms. Hallowell shifted gears to become a reporter. She worked at a small newspaper in central Massachusetts before returning to The Inquirer as a correspondent, covering Bucks County and Dover, Del.
Later, she moved to the Akron Beacon-Journal, where she got interested in the law.
"She covered courts in Akron, and she got to know a couple of judges and lawyers really well," said Jack Severson, her husband of nearly 17 years and a former Inquirer editor. "With their encouragement, she thought: 'I'd like to try this.' "
Ms. Hallowell earned her law degree at night. She returned to the area to care for her parents and worked as an editor for IntelliHealth, an online health-information company, and as a part-time copy editor at The Inquirer.
She was admitted to the bar in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and eventually ran a solo law practice in Voorhees, concentrating on wills, estates, and contracts.
David Sullivan, an Inquirer assistant managing editor, described her as "enthusiastic, very positive. She was upbeat and always looking for something new to take on."
Ms. Hallowell was "fun to be around, very honorable, and a real stand-up person," said Paula Goff, a former Inquirer copy editor and friend.
Ms. Hallowell had strong opinions, wasn't shy about expressing them, and was always able to back them up, Goff said. "She also never hesitated to challenge the opinions of others, which forced you to back yours up. Those were great assets for a journalist and for a lawyer."
Ms. Hallowell was passionate about women's rights and fought against laws that prevented adopted children from locating their birth parents.
An adopted child herself, Ms. Hallowell eventually tracked down her birth mother, homeless and living in Western Pennsylvania. Ms. Hallowell helped her find a safe place to live.
She loved music and played piano and guitar. She enjoyed travel and working with stained glass.
She was a "hard-core news junkie," her husband said, voraciously consuming news in print and online.
Friends admired her warm relationship with Severson, the mayor of Laurel Springs. She was a strong supporter of his political career.
"She really liked the idea of being Mrs. Mayor," said Goff.
In addition to Severson, Ms. Hallowell is survived by her stepchildren, Nicole Severson, John Severson, and Camille Morgan, and five step-grandchildren.
Friends may call Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Danks-Hinski Funeral Home, 125 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold.
Memorial donations may be made to the Douglass College Women's Studies Program, 100 George St., New Brunswick, N.J. 08901.
[Philadelphia Inquirer, November 13, 2011]
Contact staff writer Kristen Graham at 215-854-5146, kgraham@phillynews.com or
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