Ralph Norman Selzer

Ralph Norman Selzer was born on September 1^st 1932 in Peterson Iowa. He was the 6^th of 9 children born to George and Irma (Blackmer) Selzer.
He spent his youth on the family farm near Spencer Iowa where he received his education, graduating from Spencer High School. After graduation he entered the military and served in the Korean War as a US Marine from 1951 until his honorable discharge in 1954.

Upon returning from Korea Ralph went to work as a salesman for the Brown Shoe Company in Grinnell Iowa. In sales he found a calling and he stayed in the profession his entire career.  While in Grinnell Ralph met Barbara Fritz. They were married on June, 16^th 1957. They welcomed a daughter Paula Jane on March, 14^th 1958. Their family continued to grow when a son, Jeffery Martin, was born on November, 30^th 1959.

From Grinnell the family moved to Bismarck North Dakota, then to Norman Oklahoma finally landing in Northern California in 1966.

Ralph and Barbara divorced in 1978 and Barbara passed away in 2002.

Ralph’s family continued to grow when he married Patty Mc Farland in 1980. Patty had a son, Michael, from a previous marriage whom Ralph adopted. They settled on a ranch in Orland California. While there Ralph, Patty and Michael raised award winning show cattle and maintained an orchard of olive trees. As they say you can take the boy out of the farm but not the farm out of the boy.

In 1998 Ralph and Patty divorced.

In 1999 Ralph moved home, he returned to Iowa settling in Dickens. Over the next 20 years he worked, played and lived a very happy existence.

He passed away at Spencer Hospital on Saturday, January 26th, 2019 at the age of 86. Ralph is preceded in death by his parents George and Irma, his sisters: Margaret Hanson, Barbara Willms, Donna Pena, his brothers George (Bud) Selzer and Carl Selzer and his beloved daughter Paula Jane King.

Left to cherish his memory are his son Jeffery Selzer and his partner Wendy Rogers. His stepson and wife Michael and Tina Selzer, Two grandchildren and their spouses Cassidy and Ron Bragg, Kyle and Francine Felts, three brothers: Ken Selzer, Charles Selzer, and William and Evelyn Selzer, along with numerous loving nieces and nephews as well as his many friends. 

Ralph will be remembered for being a loving son, brother, uncle and an amazing father, along with his kind and happy nature, his work ethic, and the ever present twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

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