Seldon S. Eggleston, Jr., age 90, passed away Sunday, May 22, 2016, at the Meridian Health Care Center in Galveston, Texas. He was born September 24, 1925, in Victoria, Texas, to Seldon S. and Annie Eggleston, and, at an early age, moved to Galveston, where he attended St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and School and Kirwin High School. Seldon played football at Kirwin, participating in three of the famous Kirwin-Ball High city football games. In addition to playing softball in the city softball leagues, Seldon became an avid golfer as a young adult and continued his love of the game of golf throughout his life, teaching the rules and traditions to his sons and their friends.

Seldon enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1942, serving aboard the USS Attala APA-130. His service took him to such historic battle sites as Pearl Harbor, Enewetak, Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam, and Okinawa. Other notable stops included Jinsen, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Qinhuangdao, China. He was employed by the Cotton Concentration Company and the Galveston Wharves, and he attended St. Patrick’s Church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

In 1950, Seldon met the love of his life, Nelly Virginia, and they were married in June of that year. This union brought forth five children: Stephen, Mary, Linda, Jeannie, and Bobby. Nelly and the kids were the focus of his life, and he followed and supported them in all of their activities. Whether it was sports, dance recitals, school functions, or holiday traditions, Seldon was there to see that they did their best and had all they needed to succeed.

Seldon was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife, his parents, and his sister Genevieve. He is survived by his sisters, Patsy Farrow and Joan Beauregard and husband, Louis; brother-in-law, Albrecht Rothfuchs and wife, Anna Marie; son, Stephen Eggleston and wife, Sandra; son, Bobby Eggleston and wife, Melissa; daughter, Mary Hostetter Claywell and husband, Jerry; daughter, Linda Perryman and husband, James; and daughter, Jeannie Larson and husband, Don. Grandchildren include Jennifer, Rebecca, Kim, Kelly, Jay, Leslie, Paige, Sara, Matthew, Elizabeth, Addie, Sam and Emma. Great-grandchildren are Bella, Avery, Brett, Ryan, Billy, Sophia, and Charlie Mae.

Pallbearers will be Paul Bohn, Bernard Ott (represented by his son Dr. Terry Ott), Eddie Janek (represented by friend Dennis Byrd), John Knust (represented by his son John Knust, Jr.), and grandsons, Jay Perryman and Sam Eggleston. Honorary pallbearer will be grandson, Matthew Larson.

Seldon’s family will receive visitors beginning at 5:00 pm, Friday, May 27th at Malloy & Son Funeral Home. A rosary will begin at 6:30 pm.

Funeral Mass will begin at 10:00 am, Saturday, May 28th at St. Patrick Catholic Church with Fr. Tom Ponzini as Celebrant. Burial will follow at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Seldon to The O’Connell College Preparatory School Memorial Fund, 1320 Tremont Street, Galveston, Texas 77550.

Seldon’s children would like to thank James Goodwin, MD, and Andrea Wirt, GNP, for the loving care they provided for their father over the last years of his life. They would also like to thank the staff of the Meridian Health Care Center for the care they provided during his stay, and the staff and residents of the Meridian Retirement Community for welcoming him into their lives and making him feel at home.

Nelly once wrote this about Seldon, “Dad, to me, is the perfect personification of a true gentleman, a very gentle soul, kind and loving, and born under the sign of a peacemaker of which he is the purest. He has been father, mentor, coach, husband, and provider to our family with never a thought for his own personal gain, but love of his children and wife have always been uppermost in his thoughts and life.”

We love you, Dad! Thanks for everything!