Selmer Bender

Selmer Bender

January 21, 1947 - December 19, 2020

Obituary

Selmer Bender, 73, Jamestown, ND died Saturday, December 19, 2020, at Ave Maria Village in Jamestown.

Selmer was born in Logan  County, North Dakota, on January 21, 1947, the son of Edward and Emma (Kirschenmann) Bender.  He resided in Streeter, ND until April 1984 when he moved to Jamestown where he entered the residential and vocational services at Alpha Opportunities.  During his time at Alpha, he worked at various jobs.

He very much enjoyed living in Jamestown, attending many community events and keeping up with whatever was happening in the city.  He liked to bowl and participated in many Special Olympics bowling tournaments.  He loved watching the Minnesota Twins and Vikings on television and also attended several RedHawks baseball games.  He also looked forward to attending Wesley Acres Camp every summer.  Selmer’s favorite hobbies were collecting caps and pens.

He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Jamestown, where he enjoyed being a greeter.

Selmer had a great personality and smile, and was well loved by all of his Alpha staff.  He will be dearly missed.

Selmer is survived by numerous cousins, girlfriend Judy Friesz,  and so many other friends he made over the years.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Rosemary, and two siblings in infancy.

Thank you to the staff at Alpha Opportunities and South Central Human Service Center for the many years of wonderful care given to Selmer.  Also, thank you to the staff at Ave Maria Village and Jamestown Regional Medical Center Hospice.

Funeral Services – 10:30 AM Monday December 28, 2020 at the Haut Funeral Chapel in Jamestown, ND (A recording of the service will be available below Monday afternoon).

 

Burial – Zion Reform Cemetery, west of Streeter, ND

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Selmer
GS
Gem Saied
Other •
He had the most wonderful smile on his face when he sits on the chair with a great smile on his face, wants to shake everyone who comes to the church. You can count on Selmar for anything you need done. RIP and see you in haven.
EW
Eileen Williams
Other •
"Alright you pest!" These are the words Selmer spoke to me, nearly every single time we seen each other, with the most heart warming smile across his face! Selmer was one in a million, and he certainly will be missed. God Bless
AS
Alberta Zinck Speidel
Other •
I remember Selmer so well He would sit in the bench in front of Bucks cafe and listen to his little transister radio held up to his ear. It was always a baseball game. He loved baseball. He always said hi and was always very conversational.Selmer was a happy person- always friendly and kind. Alberta
MO
Meghan Orr
Other •
I was lucky enough to be a pen pal of Selmers. I would always look forward to receiving his letters in the mail. He was such a sweet, happy, and loving man who loved baseball. In his letters he would write about going to a RedHawks game or inform me on how the Twins did. His smile was one of a kind. <br>Selmer, I am so glad I got to be apart of your wonderful life. I will miss you. Your friend, Meghan
GS
Gregory Dean Schwartzwalter
Other •
Selmer was born Jan 21, 1947 and my birth day was Jan 28, 1952. We are both from Streeter, ND. As a youth I remember looking down upon Selmer as inferior and me superior. I too have been a lifelong fan of the Minnesota Twins and would have had that in common to talk about with Selmer. In reading the comments from those who knew him better than I ever did I see that he was a superior human being with his kindness and smile, being a greeter at his church, and the positive influence he made on all those that he associated with. Good job Selmer, I learned from you.

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