Retta Diane Schelin Selim Obituary (1931 - 2016)

Retta Diane Schelin Selim returned to her Heavenly Father on Sunday, November 27, 2016, after a lengthy period of illness and decline. Diane was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 19, 1931, to Erwin and Mildred Schelin. She was the second of seven children, and she loved all her siblings like crazy. She attended schools in the Salt Lake area, and graduated from Granite High School. Diane was a lifelong member of the LDS Church, and served in just about every calling possible with boundless energy and good will. Diane took every opportunity to serve others, and any time there was a chance to volunteer, she quickly signed up. Often, there was no official sign-up sheet—Diane didn't care; if she saw an opportunity, she jumped in to help. Diane worked for many different companies during her life. The names aren't really important. What is important to know about her is her attitude. She didn't care how low her position was when she started a new job; her goal was to do it so well that she would eventually be promoted. She always ended up in top positions of responsibility. Diane was married twice, and divorced twice. When she was very young, she married Al Yeary. She thought the most important thing about the marriage was that it resulted in her son, Ron, whom she adored. Later, she married Samir Selim. Even after the marriage ended, she often remarked that they had a lot of good times together. Sam and Diane remained the best of friends until his death, and Sam often said of Diane, "She is the best woman I have ever known." Sam's job as an engineer took them to California, which remained their home base for many years. When not in California, they lived in Australia, Chile, and Egypt. They also traveled all over the world. Diane visited every continent except Antarctica, and had the opportunity to travel all over South America, Europe, and Asia. Diane's natural curiosity and love of learning made traveling a joy for her. She made close friendships wherever she lived, and filled her home with neat things from around the world. After she separated from Sam, she moved to Utah to be near her family, and that is where she stayed for the rest of her life. She came full circle, but wow, what an interesting circle it turned out to be! Diane enjoyed many things. She was a skilled knitter whose needles created magic from patterns she developed herself. She loved getting to know people and always managed to quickly turn them into friends. She loved being a mother, but said being a grandma was even better, mainly because she got to do the fun stuff and didn't have to deal with discipline. She was just delighted as her great-grandchildren started to arrive. Most of all, Diane loved to help people and serve them in any way she could. Diane is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Nevien and Tom Bean; her daughter-in-law, Lynne Selim; her grandson Jeremy Selim, his wife Cyndi, and their children Andrew, Jacob, and Michael; her granddaughter Emily Arroyo, her husband Armando, and their children Cecelia, Joshua, Jonathan, Jaxen, and Cadie; and her grandson Taylor Selim, his wife Justina, and their children Aiden, Eva, and Owen. She is also survived by her sister Meri (Jerry) Oshel, and her brother Evan (Holly) Schelin, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by both parents, her brothers Craig, Tom, Bob, and Ray, and by Ron, the son she loved so much. Funeral services for Diane will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, at the Wildflower Ward House at 1880 E 9880 S, in Sandy, with a visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m. Additionally, there will be a visitation from 6 to 8 in the evening on Friday, December 2, at the Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home at 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway in South Jordan. Diane believed that funerals were not sad affairs, but rather celebrations of life, so she didn't think it necessary to dress in black. Feel free to join her kids in wearing colored clothing to her funeral. The family would like to offer warm thanks to Diane Kendall at the Alta View Senior Center, and to the wonderful people at Intermountain Hospice. Please consider not sending flowers, but rather making a donation to charity in Diane's name. Diane's favorite charities are those that provide medical care for children. Funeral Home: Jenkins-Soffe South Valley 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway South Jordan, UT 84095