Carolyn Jane Selzer

Carolyn Downey Selzer was born a twin on January 21, 1927. Her mother, Pauline died when she was just 18 months old. Following her death, Pauline’s sister Hallie got on a train and headed to Chicago where she picked up the twins and brought them back to Dallas raising them as her own, along with her son Walter.

Growing up, her life was happy and filled with adventure for her and sister, Adelyn. Early in her young life she was struck with osteomyelitis, a bone infection in her leg, and she spent some time in Scottish Rite Hospital with other young children. One of the first instances of her generous spirit occurred was while she was in the hospital. When her parents came to see her, she was up and out of bed and walking around emptying other children’s bedpans. Her life on Marburg Street in South Dallas held both good and bad memories. Once she reached elementary school her dad, Walter suffered a stroke and became disabled. She helped her mother to care for him, learning the art of caregiver at an early age. Carolyn attended Forest Avenue High School during World War II and saw many classmates leave for War, some never to return.

Carolyn and Adelyn took classes in “Personality School” and learned the fine art of singing and dancing together, performing on stage and entering many talent contests. The family’s investment paid off with many instances of the twins bursting into impromptu song and dance during family gatherings and even at restaurants-- sometimes to the embarrassment of their children. The twins were even featured in two documentaries, A Fair to Remember, and Growing Up Twins: Two Sides to Every Story, when they were 80 years old. Carolyn was always the life of every party and kept everyone entertained.

Carolyn had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh and tell stories. Sitting around the kitchen table, she would always begin with the phrase, “When we were growing up on Marburg…” and we would all sit back and anticipate a story filled with laughter and sometimes pain, even if we had heard it a dozen times before. There were stories about knocking out her sister’s eye with a broom handle, going through a revolving door with Bob Hope, riding home on the street car in formal evening gowns Then there was the time they heard the train brake and ran down to tracks where her father, an engineer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, had stopped the train near their home to deliver a watermelon.

Carolyn’s greatest delight came from her love for her husband, Simon and her daughter, Paula. She was a stay-at-home wife and Mom who dedicated her life to serving, not only her immediate family, but to an extended family that included friends, neighbors, and even strangers. She had a compassionate heart for others and exuded the spiritual gifts of service, help, mercy, and encouragement as she served Christ and the Joy Class at First Baptist Dallas as their ministry chairman. Carolyn spent a great deal of her time sending cards and making phone calls daily to those in need of encouragement. Carolyn’s dedication to Christ and her desire to share that with others, was always forefront in her mind and heart.

She was a fourth generation Texan and a descendent of Adolphe Gouhenant, Dallas’ first photographer. She took great pride in her heritage and loved Dallas history. Carolyn enjoyed a lifetime of cherished friendships, always keeping up with many from high school days, her work as a supervisor at the Bell Telephone Company in the 1940 and 50s. She entertained at home and volunteered with the PTA, Camp Fire, Dallas County Pioneer Association, church, and many other organizations over a period of 40 years.

Carolyn’s loss of her beloved Simon came unexpectedly in 2004 leaving a huge void in her life. She remained close to her adored twin sister, Adelyn, until her death in 2010 and missed her daily. She often spoke of her desire to be “home in heaven” and be able to see Simon, Adelyn, and her mother, Pauline one day.

In Carolyn’s later life, many great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews enjoyed listening to her stories, laughing and spending time with her. She enjoyed her life with Paula and Vera – exploring new restaurants, watching movies, Dallas Cowboys football games, and making frequent trips to the Arboretum. One of her greatest joys was her “grand dog,” Chip, who followed her everywhere, sleeping by her side up until the end of her life on January 10th.

Carolyn will be greatly missed and her life and legacy have touched many that have come into her life. Her family is thankful and blessed beyond measure for the life she lived and shared so generously with all of us.

Funeral Services will be held Monday, January 16, 2017, at 10:00 A.M, at Grove Hill Funeral Home, and will be followed by Interment at Grove Hill Memorial Park.