In loving memory of

Robert J. Seltzner
November 3, 2012

Robert J. Seltzner, age 84, passed away Saturday November 3, 2012 in Portage, WI. Robert was born November 6, 1927 to Bert and Katherine Skalitzky (Wagner) Seltzner.
Bob is a graduate of Sun Prairie High School (Class of 1946). He enlisted into the US Army after WWII and attended La Crosse State University to study journalism.

His natural curiosity and talent for writing brought Bob to many places and provided him with many opportunities. He served as an investigative reporter, journalist, editor and publisher throughout his career. His publications included the Sun Prairie Countryman, (now The Star), the La Crosse Tribune, The Stevens Point Daily Journal, The Daily Calumet, The Villager, The Kansas City Star, the Du Page County Newspaper, the Portage Daily Register, and the Portage Press. During his time in the Chicago area, he managed several political campaigns and served for three consecutive terms as the president of the South Chicago Chamber of Commerce.

Robert is survived by his daughters Mary Jo (Cornelius) Klos, Bangor, WI and Diane (Kenneth) Haeger, NewPort Beach, CA and sons Stephen (Rebecca) Seltzner, Hesperia CA, and Robert Michael (Jessica) Seltzner, Arcata CA, nine grandchildren: Nicole Klos Michaels (Todd), Neil Klos, Kyle Klos, Alex Haeger, Elizabeth Haeger, Stephen Seltzner, Timothy Seltzner, Jacob Seltzner, Xavier Seltzner; siblings Richard (Joann) Seltzner and Mary Gehrmann and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, baby brother Tom, grandson Nicholas, and brother-in-law Rudy Gehrmann.

A mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday November 7th at 11:30 am at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church, 221 Columbus Street, Sun Prairie with Msgr. Moellenberndt presiding. There will be a public visitation 1 hour prior to Mass.

The family is deeply grateful for the excellent care Bob received at Divine Savior Healthcare.

Memorials can be made to; The Reeds of Divine Savior, Divine Savior Healthcare, PO Box 387, Portage, WI 53901.

Tributes

Denise Graham Zahn wrote on Jan 2, 2015:

"I was sorry to read of Bob's passing. I only found out because my Christmas card was returned and looked him up on the Internet. His passion was writing and though flawed, as we all are, I think he enjoyed the life he chose. My condolences to his family."

ELIZABETH BAKER wrote on Jul 15, 2014:

"The late Robert Joseph Seltzner pursued me relentlessly when I was a 19 year old virgin who was at that time mourning the loss of a man she truly loved. At that time, Robert Seltzner was a 35-year old divorced newspaper man with four kids. I had entered a local beauty contest where he was a judge, and afterwards he pursued me relentlessly, finally succeeding in his sexual "deflowering" of me which - I painfully recall - took six very long, excruciating hours, while I cried the whole time. Frustrated at the amount time this "deflowering" was taking, all the while Seltzner chanted over and over and over like a broken record "You can't give yourself because you've got nothing to give...nothing to give...you've got absolutely nothing to give". This clever "mind game" was, of course, designed and implemented to get his sexual conquest accomplished, even if it was at the expense of one very unwilling young woman barely out of high school. Unfortunately, for the next three (for me) miserable years (like Mr. Hyde's deplorable influence over the young woman he had also deflowered), Robert Joseph Seltzner relentlessly orchestrated these "mind games" to make me feel guilty for never loving him, also designed to keep me around for sex and control, with the added benefit of continuously punishing me with guilt for the fact that I didn't love him. At 19, I'd had no prior experience with these mature mind games, and consequently at the time I was little match for them. They also concealed his 35-year old flailing looks, ego and self-esteem, along with his relentless desire to get a 19 year old girl to love him or, at least, to adorn his arm. Failing love, lastly they were also designed to at least keep her around sexually while he maintained control and continually punished her for not loving him. The plain truth is that I - the young 19 year old girl, HATED Bob Seltzner with every fiber of my being for his trickery through guilt, his need for control and his endless, preying sexual desires. And, so - for these last 55 years of my life - I have never forgotten him and, in the back of my mind, I have been secretly waiting and wishing for the news of his final demise. To me, Robert J. Seltzner was (to me) as close to pure evil as anyone I've ever met or even imagined. A few days ago, thanks to the Internet I recently stumbled upon the fact that Bob Seltzner has finally DIED, and at this time I'd like to sincerely add these words to his epitaph: "Good Riddance to you, Bob - Enjoy your descent into Hell - the one place you truly belong. No one deserves that fate more than you. On some level, even at 19, I realized you were just a step or two above a pedophile. On the surface, you were nothing but a burned out member of the Fourth Estate, but underneath you purposely used the mind, body, spirit and soul a young woman who had her whole life ahead of her so you could feel younger, and to do that you had to render her with so much guilt "after her deflowering" that she couldn't bear the further guilt of getting shed of you for three years after you first browbeat her unmercifully into physically sacrificing what she treasured most. For this, and for all your other crimes and mind games played on God knows how many others - MAY YOU BURN FOREVER IN HELL. For the last 52 years, I have harbored a deep, never-ending, unpardonable hatred for you, and I have fervently and patiently prayed for your death. I am truly thankful you can never hurt another human being." And for all those who actually believe Robert Joseph Seltzner lead a truly sterling and honorable life, you are all as consummately wrong as you can be. Incidentally, should anyone wish the full, sad story, there are things I know about him that only someone mentioned above WOULD know and I am willing to relate my entire logbook of memories from the years 1962 to 1964."