Norma Sellenrick of Grand Junction, Colorado died at the age of 92 years on June 16, 2017 at HopeWest in Grand Junction. Norma was born the fourth of six children on June 23, 1924 to John and Helen (Tallasen) Slaven in No Business, Tennessee, a remote family settlement in eastern Tennessee which is now part of the Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area. The family moved to the nearby community of Oneida, Tennessee when Norma was six. Norma graduated from Oneida High School May, 1942 and was selected to become a Civil Service employee and work for the War Department in Washington D.C. in the summer of 1942. Joining the group of women later known as "The Government Girls", Norma worked at Gravelly Point in D.C. before moving to the new Pentagon Building. In the spring of 1945 she met and fell in love with a sailor who had returned from the War in the Pacific for advanced gunnery training at the Washington Navy Yard. Wilmer (Joe) Sellenrick and Norma were married after his discharge from the Navy in January 1946. They began their 60 years of married life together in Rawlins, Wyoming where Joe returned to his job working for the Union Pacific Railroad. Following Joe's retirement in 1977, they lived in Berthoud, Colorado before moving to Grand Junction in 1986.

Norma was active in the Rawlins community such as the PTA, Blue Birds (Campfire Girls), Union Pacific Old Timers Club and groups within the Christ Lutheran Church. She was a member of the Lutheran Church and School of Messiah in Grand Junction. Norma enjoyed gardening, travel, quilting and visiting family and friends. Norma was a caring individual who worked hard to remember names and acquaintances, and easily made friends.

Norma was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brother, Herbert; and sisters, Verda, Thelma, Dorothy and Helen Ruth. Survivors include three children, Gary (Patti) Sellenrick of Sheridan, Wyoming, Kathy (Dean) Hollatz of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Howard (Diane) Sellenrick of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Norma has seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at the Lutheran Church and School of Messiah on Wednesday, June 21st at 11:00 AM with the Reverend Michael Redeker officiating. Memorials may be sent to Lutheran Church and School of Messiah 840 N. 11th Street, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501 or HopeWest.

Martin Mortuary, Grand Junction, CO, 18 June 2017