Mildred E. "Eloise" Selleck's Obituary
Mildred E. “Eloise” Selleck, age 102, passed away Tuesday, May 18, 2021. She was born to Leland and Roxy (Yencer) Gilliland in Shelbyville, IL. She attended Wesleyan University in Illinois. She was a faithful servant of Our Lord and Savior and was a long-time member at Temple United Methodist Church. She married Harold Banta in 1937 and together they had four children, Terry, Judy, Daniel and David. Together they moved to Muskegon in 1939 and remained in the West Michigan area the rest of her life. Harold preceded her in death in 1985. Eloise then married Keith Hallberg in 1988 and he preceded her in death in 1996. On April 26, 1997, she married Rev. Richard Selleck, together they cherished 23 years of marriage full of love and laughter. He preceded her in death in 2020. She was a dedicated employee of YWCA USA, a nonprofit organization, where she worked as a teen director and interim head director. She retired in 1973 after working at YWCA for 10 years. Eloise was very involved in her community; she held the presidential position in numerous clubs and organizations all throughout the Muskegon area. She also was an active volunteer at the Muskegon County Garden Club, Temple United Methodist Church, and numerous places. With all her hard work and time, she put back into her community, she was awarded the Muskegon County Mother of the Year in 1965 and she also received the William “Bill” Murray service award in 1990. She also was a talented artist and enjoyed painting landscapes with watercolors. Eloise enjoyed traveling, fishing, reading and baseball. She was a spunky tough old bird that will truly be missed by many. She is survived by her 3 children, David (Rhoda) Banta, Daniel (Barbara) Banta and Judith Jacobs; 6 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Terry Banta; sister, Dorothy Maget; and brother, William Gilliland. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00AM on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at the Temple United Methodist Church, 2500 Jefferson St., Muskegon Heights, MI 49444. A visitation will be held one-hour prior at church. Memorial Contributions in Eloise’s honor can be made direct to the Clark Retirement at Franklin Benevolent Fund. Arrangements entrusted to The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49444. Share memories with the family at www.sytsemafh.com.
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