Billy Wayne Selby (1931-2017)
SELBY, FRY, FLYNN, GORE, REID
Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 6/2/2017 at 20:51:16
From Rasmusson-Bacon Funeral Home & Crematory obituary, Nevada and Maxwell, Story County, Iowa:
Billy Wayne Selby, 86, passed peacefully at home from his earthly life to his heavenly life on May 22, 2017.
A Remembrance Tribute of music, featuring his grandchildren and friends, will perform Bill’s favorites. A reception will follow the 6:00 pm music service on Friday 9th at Memorial Lutheran Church, 701 11th Street, Nevada. A private burial will be at the Nevada Municipal Cemetery next to his grandson, Robert Jason Gore.
Bill was born February 4, 1931 in Nevada, Iowa to Guy Albert Selby and Ethel Marie (Fry) Selby. He married Karen Ardyce Flynn on June 24, 1956 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Fernald, Iowa. He is survived by his wife Karen; his son Scott Wayne (Julie) Selby of Story City, Iowa; daughter Sue Ellen Selby-Gore of Nevada; grandchildren Sean Gore, Christian (Trisha), Reid and Anne Selby, as well as many nieces and nephews and their families and treasured friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Ivan, Robert, Richard, Victor and their wives Wilma, Grace, Shirley and Beverly.
He proudly served four years in the United States Navy in the Korean War on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Bairoko and CVA-Princeton in the Pacific Islands off Korea, Japan and China. He enlisted in August 1950 and served as Yeoman 2nd Class making four trips to Japan. They encountered enemy fire from the North Korean shore only once in 1952. The ship hosted John Wayne and his movie crew for three days on the Bairoko in 1952.
Bill worked as a surveyor and assistant traffic engineer for the City of Pasadena, California from 1957 to 1965. He studied Civil Engineering at Pasadena City College and the University of Wisconsin, College of Engineering. His family returned to Nevada after ten years in California where he worked for the Department of Transportation in Ames two years and then the City of Nevada as Assistant City Engineer, Building Inspector, Planning and Zoning Officer, general problem solver and peacemaker. He was proud of his hometown, his school and knew almost every citizen by name. He retired August 1, 1993.
Bill was a member of American Public Works Association, International Conference of Building Officials-Class A and Central Presbyterian Church. He served many years as a choir member, Building and Grounds Committee member and Sunday School teacher. He belonged to Toastmasters and his favorite poker club.
Bill loved music and started the Lucky Seven Band in junior high with his friend, Wallace Olson. He played guitar, drums, keyboard, banjo, ukulele and played any song by ear on the black keys, using the white keys as sharps and flats. His family always enjoyed music by Bill, his father, brothers and nephew Richard. Music has remained strong in the extended Selby family with nieces, nephews and grandchildren carrying on the tradition.
Bill enjoyed his family, retirement, music, traveling, sports, coin collecting, reading, concerts and dining out. A special joy in his life was the C.R.A. group of twelve traveling and trivia friends and especially his coffee friends and poker buddies.
In lieu of flowers, memorials will be directed to Central Presbyterian Church.
Rasmusson-Bacon Funeral Home in Nevada has been entrusted with the care of Bill and his family.
http://www.rasmussonfh.com/
Story Obituaries maintained by Mark Christian.
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