Sylvia Nadine Selk

Sylvia Nadine Selk, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away Saturday, September 3, 2016 after a brief battle with cancer.
Born in El Dorado, Arkansas on December 14, 1941 the middle daughter of 7 children of Louie G. and Rena B. (Letlow) Hendrix, Sylvia remained in Crossett, Arkansas, until, after a short stop in Texas, she settled in Missoula, Montana with her daughter, Lisa, in 1972. In 1978 she met Dwaine “Sarge” Selk and they were married on November 21, 1979. They remained partners in life for the next 36+ years, with her husband Dwaine by her side as she peacefully left this world.
Sylvia loved life. She never met a garage sale she wouldn’t shop or a person she wouldn’t talk to. She could devour a book in one day and would take a month to make sure a photo album was “just right”. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the Daughters of the Nile, and, a proud, 27 year member of the Shrine Circus Clowns.
She especially loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren and over the years, at every opportunity spent countless hours with them teaching them everything from how to build the perfect welcoming stepping stone, to how to star in their own one person performances; usually to the amazement of her children. She especially treasured Christmas with the children and the family. We believed she began planning next years’ Christmas on December 26, and spent the entire year preparing her home and their cabin in Sula, a favored spot where the grandkids could ski and have grandma show them how snowmobiling was really done. She transformed the homes to be the perfect Christmas wonderland where fun, laughter and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus were always welcome.
When she and Sarge were both finally retired, together they opened a gateway to the entire world. They traveled often and no destination was off of the map. Countless trips throughout the continental US were sprinkled with trips to Hawaii, Korea, China, Viet Nam, Germany, Austria, Italy, Britain, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and just a few “boat rides” to Alaska and the Caribbean. As we all enjoyed the tales and pictures of their travels, she always seemed to marvel at the thought that she “never thought a girl from Arkansas would ever see so much”. Sylvia loved life.
She is preceded in death by her parents Rena Letlow Hendrix and Louie G. Hendrix, brothers Willard and Kenneth Hendrix and foster parents James and Bernice Grubbs.
She is survived and will be missed dearly by her loving husband Dwaine, her daughter Lisa George McCaughan (Rusty), sisters Ramona Hisaw and Carolyn Thomas, brothers Dewane Hendrix and Charles Hendrix, step-son Robert Selk (Dee), step-daughter Cassandra Knox (Curt), grandchildren Brandon McCaughan, Cheyenne Zavala (Jeff), Justin and Kerri Selk, Amanda, Deanna , Ashley and Delaney Knox, great grandchildren Ethan, Colton and Salena Zavala.
A service will be held at 11:00 am on September 12, 2016 at the Garden City Funeral Home, reception to immediately follow. Viewing will be available from 9:00 am to 10:45 am prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that any donations be made to the Shrine Hospital or Partners Home Hospice.