Obituary of Dorothy Jeanne Selby

    Dorothy Jeanne (Jobes) Selby, daughter of Arthur and Viola (Dreller) Jobes, was born in Melvin, IA on April 4, 1929. She spent her childhood years in Melvin, helping her father in the grocery store and at the meat counter, along with her siblings. She attended Melvin High School, graduating in 1947. While in school, she was active in choir and sports. She had the good fortune to participate in the Girl’s State basketball Tournament in 1947. After high school, she attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Estherville, IA and received her teaching diploma. Dorothy then started teaching in the country schools in Ocheyedan Township and Holman Township. In 1949, she taught 4th and 5th grades in Melvin and in 1950, she moved to Harris, IA where she taught 6th grade. She loved her students and kept in touch with many of them through the years.

    On November 28, 1951, Dorothy married Billie George Selby in Melvin, IA. They were scheduled to be married the day before, but weather slowed the arrival of the groom from boot camp in San Diego, CA. To this union, four daughters were born: Randi, Julia, Glenda, and Annette. Dorothy dedicated herself to helping on the farm and raising their girls. After the children had all left home, Dorothy became a CNA nurse, and worked in Milford Nursing Home for 12 years. She always enjoyed helping others. Dorothy was a breast cancer survivor.

    Dorothy and Bill made their first home in Holly Ridge, NC. When Bill’s military service was complete, they moved back to Iowa, residing for a short time in Storm Lake. They then moved to a farm place just west of Business Corner, near Harris, IA, where they lived and farmed until 1963 when they moved to their current residence on the Selby homeplace farm just east of Business Corner. Here they farmed and raised their family.

    Dorothy found great satisfaction in teaching and helping the girls with their homework and school projects. Her days were kept full cooking, baking, canning garden produce for the family, sewing their clothes (even doll clothes), crocheting, and helping with the tasks of planting and harvesting the crops. She enjoyed being a member of, and socializing with, many longtime lady friends in the Duo Decem Club and the United Methodist Women’s Circle in Hartley, and helping with the church fundraisers. She enjoyed watching the St. Louis Cardinals baseball games, Iowa Hawkeyes sports, and the Timberwolves games. She and Bill bowled in league and tournaments around the area. Dorothy also took up golfing and loved that as a way to spend time with Bill, family, and friends. Dorothy departed this world on December 14, 2020 at the age of 91 years.

    Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Bill; three daughters: Julia (Stanley) Meyer of Hartley, IA, Glenda Selby of Colorado Springs, CO, Annette Zellmer of Lake Crystal, MN;  two siblings: Richard Jobes of Boise, ID, and Barbara Smith of Duncombe, IA; five granddaughters: Lindsay Meyer, Sarah Myers, Hailey Myers, Kennedy Zellmer, Melody Zellmer; and one grandson, Cody Meyer; many nieces and nephews; and many friends.

    She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Randi Wilder; brothers: Robert and Norman Jobes; and sisters: Darlene Derleth and Suzanne Getting.