John Bass Selman

SELMAN, JOHN BASS (1931 ~ 2023). The following is an obituary for John Selman who was approved for burial at the Texas State Cemetery by the Cemetery committee. The obituary was provided by Weed, Corley, Fish Funeral Home of Austin.

John B. Selman passed away February 18, 2023, at the age of 91. John was born May 29, 1931, in Brenham, Texas, to C.M. Selman and Loraine Bass Selman. He graduated from high school in Rockdale, Texas and enrolled in The University of Texas at Austin the following day. He was a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a BBA and an LLB degree. While an undergraduate student, John was President of his social fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, and his business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. In 1953, John was called to active duty in the Army and served as a First Lieutenant in the Fifth Army Intelligence Section. While John was stationed in Chicago, Illinois, he met the love of his life, Lois Ann Ayres, a beautiful flight attendant, and convinced her to marry him. John and Lois were married on December 26, 1955. Lois gave him the most important gifts of his life: her love, their children and the Catholic faith.

John is survived by Lois A. Selman, his loving wife and companion of 67 years; son, Jack A. Selman and daughter in law, Cynthia Selman; daughter, Sharon S. Gramlich and son in law, Charles Gramlich; daughter, Gail S. Gray and son in law Robert F. Gray, Jr.; and daughter, Linda S. Scott and son in law, Clyde Scott. John is also survived by a brother, Charles M. Selman and sister in law, Carolyn Selman. He was blessed by ten grandchildren, Sam and Will Selman, Kelly Gramlich Ciulla (Nick) and John Gramlich (Kaitlyn), Robert, Hamilton, Molly and MacLaine Gray and Olivia and Cody Scott. John loved and adored his children and grandchildren and the time spent together in their Colorado home and at the beach in South Padre Island.

John practiced law for 32 years with the law firm of Sneed, Vine, Wilkerson, Selman and Perry; as counsel for 15 years with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Silver, Freedman and Taff; and his son’s law firm, Selman, Munson & Lerner. John was a founder and Chairman of the Board of Highland Lakes Bank in Kingsland, Texas, Lost Pines National Bank in Smithville, Texas, and owner and Chairman of TaylorBanc Savings Association in Taylor, Texas. In Austin, John formerly served as Vice Chairman of Franklin Savings and was Chairman of the Board of Franklin Bank from 1995 to 2002 and, thereafter, a member of the Board of Directors of Franklin Bank Corp. until 2008. At the age of 72, he founded and was Chairman of the Board of Grand Mountain Bank in Granby, Colorado. John’s service as a banker and lawyer in the State of Texas was bringing banking to citizens in underserved areas in Texas and his Christian calling to serve the less fortunate.

John was an active Catholic and a member of St. Austin’s Catholic Church and St. Vincent DePaul Society at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and honored as a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher. He was a former District Governor of Serra International and was instrumental in founding St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Kingsland, Texas. He served as a former President of Marywood and on the National Brotherhood Council of Christians and Jews.

One of John’s most rewarding activities was as a founder and President of the Church Food Pantry, which for nearly a decade provided food for the less fortunate in Northeast Austin. In his life, John chaired 25 bank sponsored golf tournaments raising funds for the Church Food Pantry in Austin and church food banks at Mountain Family Center in Colorado. Each year in November, John raised thousands of dollars from friends and family to help families with food and gifts during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. His heart and mind were always thinking about helping the less fortunate – particularly in Northeast Austin.

The late Bishop McCarthy wrote about John Selman that “his respect for him always centered in terms of his powerful concern for people of modest means.” John took his commitment to the street level by setting up programs to bring food, rent and other needs to the financially vulnerable in Northeast Austin.

John was a supporter of the Athletic Department at The University of Texas at Austin where he actively and passionately supported the basketball, football and tennis teams. He traveled with the Texas teams in tennis and basketball to NCAA Regional contests from Salt Lake, Boston, South Bend and many trips to Athens, Georgia. As a member of the Austin Longhorn Club for many years, John served as President in 2000 and was a Life Member of the Ex Student’s Association. John was on the freshman tennis team at The University of Texas at Austin in 1949 and played tennis with the same doubles team at Westwood Country Club for 25 years.

Pallbearers will be his grandchildren. His Pallbearer’s Club will be the honorary pallbearers, being Charles Betts, Sam Perry, James Howard, C.W. Hetherly, Jr., Neal Spelce, William B. Rhodes, Dr. Norman Mason, Alden Smith, W.F. McCasland, David Snyder, Les Gage, Gerry Acuna, Dan Shelley, Bill Penn, Alan Bergstrom and Wayne Beshears.

A funeral Mass will be held at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, located at 4311 Small Drive, Austin, Texas, at 10:00 a.m., on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Following Mass, internment will be at the Texas State Cemetery, located at 909 Navasota Street, Austin, Texas, with a reception following.

Since John’s passion was helping the less fortunate, those desiring can make memorial contributions to: St. Vincent DePaul Society, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 5905 Reicher Drive, Austin, Texas 78723.