Evelyn M. Selmer

Evelyn Selmer, 81, of St. Joseph, passed away June 5, 2007, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life will be held 10:30A.M., Saturday, June 9, 2007, at St. Peter’s Church, 623 Church St., St. Joseph, with Rev. Curtis Plummer officiating. Burial will follow in San Pierre Cemetery, San Pierre, IN, with Pastor Richard Holtz officiating. Visitation is from 5:00 – 8:00PM, Friday, June 8, 2007, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made in Evelyn’s name to Richard H. Selmer Scholarship Fund or Berrien County Cancer Service. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guestbook online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com Evelyn was born October 26, 1925 in San Pierre, IN, to Joseph and Anna (Badenhoop) Fenzel. She graduated from Tefft High School. On June 17, 1951 she married Richard Selmer, in San Pierre, IN at St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, where she was also Baptized and Confirmed. She was an Admissions Consultant for 18-1/2 years at Whitcomb Tower, taught in the Junior Church School in St. Peter’s Church for 32 years, and sang in the church choir. Evelyn served as Secretary of Berrien County Association of Churches (BCAC) for 18 years, received “The Outstanding Christian Service Award” in Berrien County, and was nominated by BCAC 2 different years for the Margaret B. Upton Volunteer of the Year Award. She Co-chaired the BCAC project, “Directory of Churches and Congregations of Berrien County”, and was Recruit Chairperson of the annual Blossomland Area CROP Walk, with which she was involved for 27 years. Evelyn also served as Secretary of St. Peter’s Women’s Fellowship and the Southwestern Women’s Fellowship. At the death of her husband, she established the Richard H. Selmer Scholarship Fund. Evelyn was a quiet, gentle lady, yet very strong. All of her family was very important to her, and she set an example of a devoted woman not only to her family but also to those around her. She had a loving, nurturing spirit as experienced in the care giving provided to her husband, Rev. Selmer, during his illness. She loved her God and served him well. Her family and her friends will greatly miss her. She kept busy with her various volunteer projects which included making quilts for babies born HIV positive, alcohol or drug related, assembling Health kits for Church World Service for areas devastated by natural disasters, and reading books. The real value of her life on earth was her marriage to Richard and their family. Evelyn is survived by three sons – David Selmer (Nancy Cass) of Chicago, John (Laurie) Selmer of Virginia, and James (Linda) Selmer of South Haven; seven grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and sisters Margaret Masepohl, Lucille Bell, and Esther Harrington.