Ira Seldin

Ira claimed to have been the happiest person on earth. This was due to his wonderful family, primarily the reciprocal love he shared with grandchildren, Stephanie, Maggie, and Diana Seldin, and Benjamin and Emma Stoloff. He was also pleased to have frequent communication with nieces, Shari Berkowitz, Lisa Marks Smith and Abbe Seldin, her partner Farny, Shari’s children, Evan and Bethany and daughter-in-law, Dr. Libby Hohmann. Ira also valued his time with sister-in-law Esta Salzhauer and family friends, Richard and Scotti Finnegan.

Ira was a graduate of CCNY and Brooklyn Polytechnic where he earned a masters degree in chemistry. His career took him from Monsanto in Springfield to many years at Xerox in Rochester, NY where he was manager of paper technology.

There were two dark spots along this happy way. One was the death of son David at age 57. David was a brilliant physician and chief of hematology and oncology at Boston Medical Center where he was loved by colleagues and patients. The other was the loss of Florence, Ira’s partner for 69 years. Flo and Ira traveled the world together including China, Russia, and Japan. They loved to attend the Boston Symphony, visit museums, host family and friends, and reunited every evening to talk about local and national politics.

After Flo’s death, Ira recognized that the responsibility of leading the family and caring for him fell to his daughter, Judi, a leader at the Carroll School. Judi credits her successful basketball career at Princeton to the hours she spent in the driveway shooting baskets with Ira on the hoop he put up for her on the garage.

Ira volunteered his time in town government when he lived in Penfield, NY and more recently in Chatham on the school building, community preservation and parks and recreation committees and at the Marconi Center.

The family asks that optional donations be made to the Boston University School of Medicine Amyloidosis Center David C. Seldin Training Fund or the League of Women Voters of Cape Cod Area Education Fund (for the Dr. Florence Seldin Speaker Series).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nickersonfunerals.com.