Selma L. Weldum, age 95, formerly of 4379 Trombly 35th Road, Rock, died peacefully Sunday July 18, 2010, with family by her side at the Marquette County Medical Care Facility, Ishpeming, where she resided for 91/2 years.

Selma was born May 22, 1915, in Schley, WI, (near Merrill, WI) the daughter of Charles and Louise (Gedowsky) Sarring. She started school at a one room country school at age 6 knowing only one word of English. She also attended the Gleason and Merrill schools and because of a lack of country school transportation, she had to board in Gleason and Merrill. She was married before completing school in Merrill, but finished and received her GED from the Gladstone Community Schools in 1976.

On May 2, 1934, Selma was united in marriage to the late Adam “Albert” Weldum, in Merrill, and began their life together at the farm Albert’s parents had owned South of Rock, MI in the small town then known as Trombly.

Selma loved flowers and fruit trees and she had plenty in her farm yard. She had a large garden and canned most of what was grown in the garden. She also canned meats from the farm and fish Albert caught. During the early years on the farm, very little food was bought as most came from the farm. She not only worked in the fields putting up the hay and harvesting grain , but milked the cows and took care of the other livestock. She also worked with Albert in the woods. In fact she was the other “man” on the other end of the two man Mall Chain Saw Albert had bought. Before the Christmas season, she cut many tons of evergreen boughs that were used to make Christmas wreaths.

Selma wrote the news from the Rock area for the Escanaba Daily Press for 47 years during which she wrote feature articles about many of the people in the Rock area. For several years her articles were written under the byline “Weldum’s World” and in the late 1990’s she also wrote a column for the Rock Senior News Letter with the title “Around Town with Selma”. She continued to write articles for the Rock Senior News Letter for several years while at the Marquette Medical Care Facility in Ishpeming.

In 1948 Selma was a charter member of the Rock School PTA and later served 17 years on the Rock School Board of Education until the formation of the Mid Peninsula school. She also was a member of the Mid Pen Student loan association, and was secretary for 10 years for the Rock Bowling League. Selma and Albert were also charter members of the Rock Senior Citizen Corporation.

Selma was very proud of helping to organize the Rock 4-H club in 1959 and was a leader for 30 years. She hoped she helped kids in the Rock area learn many things that helped them in later life.

Survivors Include:

Son: Ronald (Janet) Weldum of Stockton, CA
Theodore (Mary) Weldum of Negaunee, MI

Daughter: Nancy Weldum of Phoenix, AZ

Grandchildren: Sheila, Bruce, Theodore, David, and Alex

Great Grandchildren: Steven, Nicholas, Melissa, Wyatt, Nora, and Adrianne

Selma was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Louise, husband, “Albert”, and grandson, Larry Weldum.

Selma’s family will receive friends on Saturday August 7, 2010, from 10;00 AM to 11:00 AM, at the Rock Senior Center. Funeral services to celebrate the life of Selma L. Weldum will follow visitation, at 11:00 AM, at the Rock Senior Center, with Elder Mike Lepisto of the Rock Bible Chapel officiating. Selma will be laid to rest at the Rock Cemetery following funeral services. A luncheon will follow the committal rites, at the Rock Senior Center.