$0.00(0 items )

No products in the cart.

Arthur “Art" Jerome Seely

Personal

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: April 16, 1918

Date of Death: September 16, 2001

Birth Place: Denton County, TX

Death Place: Fort Worth, TX

Arthur Jerome “Art” Seely, Sr.

Arthur Jerome “Art” Seely, Sr. went to be with our Lord and Savior on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, at 5:45 p.m. He passed away after a very gallant struggle with cancer. He had been hospitalized at Plaza Medical Center in Fort Worth. He had not had any signs of the devastating cancer, other than weakness, when it was diagnosed on July 9, 2001.

He was born in Denton County, near Justin, on April 16, 1918, to George Arthur and Virginia Pear (Hardeman) Seely. His family have resided in Denton County for over 125 years, and some of the family came with Stephen F. Austin’s colony before Texas won its independence from Mexico.

He attended public schools in Denton County, and graduated from Sanger High School in 1936. In 1938, he began his college education at North Texas State Teachers College (now the University of North Texas). He received a bachelor’s degree with majors in business, political science and education, in 1942. In 1949, he received a master’s degree in education from North Texas. He joined a long list of family members who had been called into education as their profession.

He worked his way through North Texas by serving the citizens of Denton as a student fire fighter. He later served as a driver and captain of Denton Fire Department Station #3 (old West End). He also drove an ambulance for the Schmitz Funeral Home in order to earn extra money to attend college.

His first teaching position was in the White Deer-Skellytown Consolidated School District, and then he taught in the Gainesville Junior High School before coming back to Denton. In September of 1945, he taught history and was a coach at the old Denton Junior High School. In January of 1945 he was appointed at the principal of Robert E. Lee Elementary School at 206 East Mulberry. He helped design the current Lee School at 800 Mack Place, where he was principal until his retirement in 1980.

He met Norma Omstead on Sept. 8, 1946, in the first Baptist Church of Sanger. Norma had just moved to Sanger to complete her degree in North Texas. Her father asked his father if Art could help Norma find a place to live, and he did. Both served as elementary educations for the Denton Independent School District until their retirement in June of 1980.

Mr. Seely has been active in the Denton community by assisting various youth organizations, served as the director of the Denton County Youth Center (known as El Centro) for a number of years, beginning in December of 1945, served on the board of the Denton City-County Nursery School fro a number of years, he and Norma were active members of the First Baptist Church of Denton, and served as chairman of the Deacon Board at First Baptist.

He has had a life-long love of teaching children. He always believed it was a ministry, and took the needs of each child that attended Lee School very seriously. Besides a host of friends and former students he is survived by his wife of 55 years, Norma Seely of Denton; their only child, Arthur J. “Art” Seely Jr. and his wife, Renae of Denton; and their only grandchildren, Arthur J. “A.J.” Seely III of Denton. He is also survived by two sisters, Helen Bounds and Joy Ready of Sanger, and many nieces, nephews and cousins that live in the surrounding area.

Mr. Seely taught by example with love. His teachings and legacy will be long remembered by all those who knew him.

His funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Denton. Burial will follow at the Sanger Cemetery. The family will be available for visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19 at the funeral home. The family is very grateful for the many prayers, calls, and thoughts that have been extended during Mr. Seely’s relatively brief illness.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Mulkey-Mason, Jack Schmitz and Son Funeral Home of Denton. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Denton, Senior Adult Bus fund, or to the American Cancer Society.
Published in the Denton Record Chronicle on September 19, 2001


Arthur J. Seely, Sr., 83, of Denton died Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, at the Medical Plaza Center in Fort Worth.

He was born April 16, 1918, in Justin to George Arthur and Virginia Pearl (Hardeman) Seely. On Sept. 14, 1946, he married Norma Omstead in Sanger.

Mr. Seeley attended public schools and graduated from North Texas State Teachers College, now the University of North Texas, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He had worked as a teacher, a Denton firefighter, and was the principal of Lee Elementary School for 35 years before retiring in 1980.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church, where he had served as a deacon and as the chairman of deacons.

The service will be at 4 p.m. today, Thursday, Sept. 20, at the First Baptist Church. The Revs. Jeff Williams, Cliff Feeler, John Stout and Rick Ingel will officiate. Burial will follow at the Sanger Cemetery. Mulkey-Mason, Jac Schmitz and Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Pallbearers will be Arthur J. Seely, Jr., A.J. Seely III, Bennie Noles, Floyd Glenn Smith, Mike Woodson, Lafayette Newland, Carroll Robinson, Wayne Allison and W.H. Rainey.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of the American Cancer Society.

Survivors include his wife, Norma O. Seely of Denton; one son Arthur J. Seely, Jr. of Denton; two sisters, Helen Bounds and Joy Ready, both of Sanger; and one grandson.

Published in the Denton Record Chronicle on September 20, 2001

Looking to pay for the 2023 SGS International Reunion fees online? Learn How