Mr. Ted Sellman: The passing of a beloved veteran

Even in his 90s, Ted Sellman would walk the quiet street in Midlothian's Salisbury neighborhood past my parents' home. As he passed, inside the white picket fence on the flag pole that had been put up years ago by my step-dad, the American flag would flutter in the breeze and Mr. Sellman, ever the patriotic World War II veteran, would salute the flag before continuing his journey.

Sadly, he will no longer be a fixture in the neighborhood. Mr. Sellman -- husband, father, grandfather, friend, volunteer, U.S. Army veteran -- passed away this week at the age of 96.

A prolific volunteer and active senior citizen, he was busy throughout the years in the schools, with the Boy Scouts,and a variety of organizations including the Kiwanis, Masons, American Red Cross, the retailers association, church, and Salisbury Country Club. His presence will be greatly missed especially now that we are in the Christmas season.

Active at Bon Air Christian Church, the pastor remembered the Sellmans when she married, writing in the November newsletter:

"I got a wonderful note from Patti and Ted Sellman. Ted hand delivered a handkerchief, two candlesticks and two red candles to me the week of our wedding. Patti wrote: 'These candlesticks were a wedding gift to us seventy three years ago. I hope you have as many years and are as happy. We still are as polite to each other as we were the first month. We sit in our rockers on our porch and hold hands. We are ninety three and ninety seven.' She went on to wish us God's blessing."

He will be remembered by many others for the full life he led:

"His friends and family will remember him as a man who had the ability to maintain optimism and live in the moment, laugh at and appreciate the paradoxes of life, take enormous pleasure in the accomplishments of his family, especially his grandsons, live the Golden Rule daily, and share his talents as an accomplished artist, athlete and musician. He lived as an enthusiastic student of science, religion and the affairs of man, finding beauty and fascination in even the simple creations of man and nature."

A graveside service will be held at Forest View Cemetery in Richmond on Friday at 10:00 a.m. America has lost yet another member of the Greatest Generation but also a gentleman and a friend.

"Well done, good and faithful servant." - Matthew 25:23