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- Selmer Nermyr, 102, Las Cruces, NM and formerly of Bella Vista Ark., Minot ND and Westhope died on July 4, 2012 in a Las Cruces retirement home.
Selmer was born on July 25, 1909 on a farm in Serguis Township of Bottineau County, twenty-five miles from the Canadian border, near Westhope, ND to Herbrand and Margit Lilleslet Nermyr. He was the third oldest in a family of eight children. He attended grade school in the one-room rural Serguis schoolhouse and Newburg High School graduating in 1926 with four other students, even though he played "hooky" the final three months of his senior year when his older brother became ill and Selmer was needed to help plant the crops. As a young adult he worked on the family farm for several years prior to moving to Minot in the early 1930's. Jobs were scarce and Selmer had several different jobs, before finding steady work in a creamery where he worked 10 hour days and was paid twenty-five cents an hour.
Selmer married Elizabeth dePlace on October 31, 1935 (Halloween) in Minot and they made their home in Eastwood Park. Their only child, Jim, was born in 1940. In early 1941 Selmer joined his father-in-law in operating a grocery store in Maxbass, ND. When the store burned in 1948 Selmer moved his family to McIntosh, MN where he purchased and operated another grocery store. He sold that store in 1954 and moved his family back to Minot where he was employed at Shark's Men's Clothing store for two years before he was hired by the Minot Post Office as a mail carrier. Selmer worked for the postal service for seventeen years until he retired in 1973 after also serving as a postal supervisor and managing the downtown branch office. Selmer and Elizabeth retired in Bella Vista, Arkansas in 1975 where they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1985. After an extended illness Elizabeth passed away in 1996. Selmer moved to the Concordia Retirement Home in Bella Vista in 2004 and later to the Village at Northrise Retirement Community in Las Cruces, NM in 2010.
While Selmer was employed by the postal service in the mid-1950's he built the family's split-level two bedroom home in Minot, doing almost all of the work himself. The home included a one bedroom apartment and a studio apartment on the lower level.
Selmer liked to go on family driving trips that were usually unplanned. The family drove (with many side trips and much sightseeing) until they ran out of time or money, or both. When Selmer decided he needed a hobby for retirement he began golfing when he was almost 60 years old. He continued to golf regularly (except when he took several years off to care for Elizabeth) until he "retired" in 2002. He was proud of his long drives and in his 80's was heard to say how he enjoyed out-driving those 50 and 60 year old "kids". The summer of 2007 was special for Selmer when he attended a family reunion in Minnesota where he celebrated with three sisters, a brother and many relatives. During his retirement he especially enjoyed walking outdoors and, after moving to New Mexico, viewing the nearby mountains. He also enjoyed playing cards and was an excellent (and lucky) cribbage player.
Selmer's loving family includes his son James (Judith) Nermyr of Las Cruces NM; grandchildren: Tamera Nermyr of Plymouth MN, Michelle Winters of Phoenix AZ, John Nermyr of Richfield MN and Anthony Nermyr of Plymouth MN; great grandchildren: Lindsay, Tyler, Charles, Jack, Nicholas and Maxwell Nermyr all of the Minneapolis area; siblings: Lillian Jesperson of New Hope MN and Palmer Nermyr of Westhope; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Selmer was preceded in death by his parents, wife, sisters: Inga Moum, Gudrun McHaney, Alice Lodoen and Pauline Howard; brother: Arnold Nermyr and granddaughter April Nermyr.
Funeral Service: Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. in Zion Lutheran Church – Minot.
Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens – Minot.
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1909 - 2012 (102 years)
