Jack B. Selbig died in Carson City, NV on Wednesday, November 7. Jack moved
this spring to Carson City from Pacific Grove, CA where he had lived since 1989.
Jack was born in Waterloo, Iowa to Theo Rita Butler and Charles Burroughs
Selbig on September 20, 1919. His mother passed away three weeks after he
was born and in true German tradition, his father's sister came to live with
them and help her brother raise his son.
After graduating from Waterloo High School, he attended and graduated from
State College of Iowa (now known as the University of Northern Iowa). In
1941, he enlisted in the Army Air Corp serving in the Pacific Theater and
Trinidad until he was discharged in December 1945. During his Army career,
he met and married Virginia Wedeking. Their two daughters were born in
Illinois.
After teaching for one year in Lone Tree, Iowa, he moved his young family to
Hawthorne, NV. Jack was a teacher, coach, counselor, and vice principal at
Mineral County High School.
He earned his master's degree in education from the University of Nevada,
Reno, in 1960. He also did some post-graduate work at Arizona State
Unviersity, University of Iowa, and University of California-Berkeley. Jack
joined UNR in 1965 as a counselor and foreign student advisor. In 1970, he
was promoted to Director, Counseling and Testing Center, and continued as
foreign student advisor as well. He decided it was time to retire in 1979,
after his oldest granddaughter was accepted to UNR.
Jack's wife of 19 years, Margaret, preceded him in death in June; his
son-in-law, Bill Towe, died in July. He is survived by two daughters,
Kathryn (William) Bunch of Carson City, and Cora Towe of Hawthorne, NV, one
stepdaughter, Marsha Parker of Mesa, AZ, one stepson Bill Hoblit of
Worcester, VT. Jack is also survived by numerous grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. The family was blessed to have an opportunity for a
five-generation visit and picture with his newborn great-great grandson in
June.
Jack enjoyed the outdoors, and especially enjoyed taking his daily walks
along the beaches in and around Monterey Bay. It was his wish that his ashes
be scattered in that area. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
A scholarship is being established in his memory at UNR. Donations may be
sent to the University of Nevada Foundation, Mail Stop 162, Reno, Nevada
89557 for the Jack B. Selbig Scholarship.FitzHenry's Funeral Home is caring
for the arrangements.