Shirley Virginia Elizabeth (Moore) Seltmann, age 96, of Rush Center, Kansas, peacefully passed away on February 2, 2024, at Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed Unit, La Crosse, Kansas.
Shirley was born April 22, 1927, to Hale H. and Magdalene M. (Ekblad) Moore in Larned, Kansas, where her father was a well-known Hartford Insurance agent, and her mother was an English teacher and homemaker. She had one brother, John, who married and moved to England after getting out of the armed services. She was in the Girl Scouts and went to school from kindergarten through high school in Larned, Kansas. After completing high school in 1945, she went to K-State for one year, then went back to Larned where she worked for Wards, the local movie theater, and sometimes helped her dad at the insurance agency. The next year after that, she went to The Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. She was a very creative person whether it be drawing, painting, writing articles, knitting, or poetry. She also loved learning, whether it be from reading books, or watching DVD’s. Shirley loved cats and irises, planting new ones even in her 90’s. She enjoyed creating many numerous items . . . such as making scrapbooks when she was younger and continued creating and collecting throughout her life.
On March 30, 1948, she was married to Gilbert Seltmann, a farmer from the Rush County area, at her parents’ home in Larned, Kansas. They were married 45 years until Gilbert passed away on November 4, 1993. After marriage, they moved out to Nekoma, Kansas, where they stayed at the old homestead with Gilbert’s parents, before they got a place of their own in the Nekoma area. Later on, they moved to rural Rush Center. She was a farm wife, and it was not unusual for her to help in the fields when not busy in the kitchen. They were blessed with two children, Douglas and Cynthia.
Douglas passed away 11 years ago. Shirley was a member and participated in the local extension “Unit” groups, first in Alexander and then in the Rush Center area “Prairie Pals”. She was a member of the Walnut Valley Senior Center in Rush Center also and enjoyed fellowshipping with the seniors in the area playing games and helping with potato bars and different events.
Survivors include: her daughter, Cynthia Hemken, Choctaw, Oklahoma; four grandsons, Timothy Hemken (and wife, Ashlee), Del City, Oklahoma, Richard Seltmann (and Mellissa Keller-Chlumsky), Hays, Kansas, Ronald
Seltmann (and wife, Mary), Liberty, Missouri, and Ryan Seltmann (and wife, Melissa), Hays, Kansas; two great grandchildren, Mallory Seltmann, Hays, Kansas, and Tyler Seltmann, Liberty, Missouri; and two step great grandsons, Josh Scott, Amarillo, Texas, and Ira Stull, Ness City, Kansas; one step great great granddaughter, Miriya Scott, Amarillo, Texas; and four step great great grandsons, Joshua Scott, Ness City, Kansas, Cadyn Harley, Ness City, Kansas, Kash Stull, Ness City, Kansas, and Gage Christianson, Amarillo, Texas.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gilbert Seltmann; her brother, John Moore; her son, Douglas Seltmann; her daughter in law, Barbara (Peach) Seltmann; her son in law, Stanley Hemken; her step grandchildren, Merlynna Harley, and Morgan Harley; and numerous other loved ones.
A celebration of her life will be Saturday, July 13, 2024, at 1:00 P.M. at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, La Crosse, Kansas, with Pastor Michael Bremer officiating. Inurnment will be at the Nekoma Union Township Cemetery, Nekoma, Kansas. There will be a luncheon to follow after the graveside committal service for all, back at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the Walnut Valley Senior Center, Rush Center, Kansas.
Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.janousekfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements were by Janousek Funeral Home, 719 Pine Street, P O Box 550, La Crosse, Kansas 67548, 785/222-2517.