William "Bill" Selgert

Whether he was hunting with his son, bowling a perfect game, or putting in a hard day at work, William Bill Selgert was a man of great strength who was honest, giving, and loyal. Although he enjoyed many things throughout his lifetime, his most treasured times were spent with his family and friends. Everyone knew that Bill viewed becoming a father to be both his highest calling and his greatest gift, cherishing each and every moment he shared with his son. The dawn of the 1940s was a prosperous time in American history as industry in our nation had reached unprecedented new heights. It was also during this time that Rudolph and Mary (Newlon) Selgert, of Chicago, Illinois, were celebrating the birth of their first child, their son William on April 18, 1940. Bill, as he was most often called, was soon joined in his family by his younger sister Mary Ellen. As our nation became drawn into WWII on December 7, 1941, Bills father was called to serve his country in the Marine Corps leaving Bills mother to move with her two young children to California. While their family waited for Rudolphs return, Mary worked for the company that manufactured Oh Henry! candy bars, and she also continued to care for Bill and his sister. Once Bills father was discharged and reunited with his family, their family grew to include Barb, Patricia, and Lorrie. Bill and his family moved back to Chicago where he attended local catholic schools. When Bill was 13 years old, their family decided that Chicago was not a safe place to raise children and they moved to the beautiful city of Spring Lake, Michigan. Bill had a long walk everyday to Grand Haven High School where he was a member of the schools first swim team, and Bill was a talented swimmer who was a great asset to the team. He went on to graduate in 1958. Bill quickly found employment as a machinist at Oldberg Company where his father was also employed. He also became a pinsetter at Idle Hour Lanes in Spring Lake where he was able to satiate his love for bowling. During this time, Bill lived with his parents and was a wonderful brother to his younger sister Lorrie who was 17 years his junior. Soon, Bill felt led to serve his country in the military and he joined the Army National Guard. The sixties were turbulent times in America as the civil rights movement was in full swing, and Bill was sent to Detroit to manage the riots that had erupted there. These were times that greatly affected Bill, and his experiences there were always stories that he enjoyed sharing. Once he was back in Spring Lake, Bill resumed the life he left behind and that soon took a pleasant turn for Bill. In 1970, Bill made the acquaintance of Marguerite Ramthun through a singles group in Grand Rapids. There was an immediate attraction between them, and many dates soon followed - including more through the singles club. At times, Bill would slap $10.00 on the table and declare to Marguerite that this is what they had to spend for the evening, and they often did just that. After dating for three years, the couple exchanged their vows on November 25, 1973 at St. Johns Lutheran Church. The newlyweds rented their first home in Spring Lake, and later purchased the family home on 148th Avenue where they remained throughout the rest of their married life. The couple was later filled with joy beyond measure with the birth of their son Will, on December 31, 1975. In fact, Bill often joked that he was thrilled that his son was born just in time to become a tax deduction for the year! Will attended local schools and participated in a variety of sports that Bill became very involved with as well. Through the years, Bill became very close with his son, and they enjoyed numerous activities together. Bill continued to support his family at Oldberg Company for a total of 22 years before they closed, at which time Bill became a realtor. He worked for Century 21, Oceana Realty, and Greenridge Realty, and he loved his job. He even sold hunting land up north to nearly all of his friends. There were a variety of interests that Bill enjoyed when he was blessed with free time. He was a true outdoorsman who liked water skiing, was a lifelong fisherman, and loved hunting, especially for geese. Throughout his life, Bill was an avid bowler, and was truly talented at the sport as well. He attended numerous bowling tournaments throughout Michigan and even some outside of the state too. In 1988, Bill bowled a perfect 300 game at Starlite Lanes in Grand Haven, and Bill also bowled for Stans Bar in Spring Lake for over 20 years. Stans Bar also became the location for the New Years celebration in honor of Wills birthday, a treasured family ritual. Additionally, Bill was a member of St. Johns Lutheran Church. As is so often the case, life was not without challenges for Bill. In 2000, the death of his father was a difficult time for Bill since he and his father were extremely close. Then when his mother died a bit later, Bill was again deeply saddened, although he was truly thankful that he was given so many years with them both. Then just this past February, Bill was diagnosed with cancer resulting in several surgeries at the University of Michigan Hospital. Sadly, Bill was unable to recover and he drew his last breath surrounded by his loving family. In so many ways, Bill Selgert was a special man to so many. He was a devoted family man who viewed his family as his greatest gift. Bill was a talented bowler who loved outdoor activities too, but first and foremost in Bills life was always spending time with his family and friends. Bill leaves behind a colorful palette of memories that will be forever treasured by all those he leaves behind. William R. "Bill" Selgert died Thursday, September 3, 2009. Bills family includes his wife of 35 years, Marguerite; son, Will (Lori Hansen) Selgert both of Spring Lake; sisters, Mary Ellen (Jack) Weber of Grand Rapids, Barb O'Shaughnessy of Spring Lake, Lorrie (Al) Kortman of Grand Haven; several nieces and nephews; brother-in-law, Jim (Bev) Ramthun of Whitehall; and sister-in-law, Jeanette Scheffler of Ann Arbor. He was preceded in death by his parents & sister, Patricia Diedrich. The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2009, 1:00 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church with Rev. Dieter Haupt officiating. Visit with Bills family and friends on Monday, 6-8 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Fruitport, MI. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or photo, or make a memorial contribution to St. John's Lutheran Church.