John Elwood Selk passed peacefully on April 23, 2018 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, surrounded by his family and closest friends.
He had suffered a series of strokes and chose hospice care for comforting closure to a life well lived.
John was born August 3, 1949 to William Elwood Selk and Mary Anne Severin in Boulder, Colorado. John grew up in Axtell and Seneca, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas. He was a licensed professional land surveyor and civil engineer for the Kansas Department of Transportation in his early career.
He married his college sweetheart Sally Jane Harshaw in 1974 and together they had son Benjamin William and daughter Hannah May. Sally died unexpectedly in 1986. In 1987 John joined families with Christina Louise Jordan and her daughter Kellen Suzanne, and together they had son Jordan Daniel.
John became a principle with Landplan Engineering, P.A. where he worked in surveying, traffic engineering and land development until he retired in 2010. After retirement, John enjoyed driving vehicles for Dale Willey and Crown Motors and doing traffic engineering consulting.
Through many ups and downs, John and Christina enjoyed a happy reconciliation in his last months.
John is survived by Christina, his children, and three grandchildren, Addyson, Evelyn and Trip. He is also survived by his aunt Marjean Severin Moore and her family and his cousin Steve Grothjan and his family.
John was a “rock”, genuine, patient and true family man, an avid golfer, and his motto was the same as his father’s “live life!”
Services will be held Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 1 pm at Rumsey Yost Funeral Chapel, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
Memorials are requested in his name to Visiting Nurses, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.
