Emma “Jean” Selman was a strong and fiery woman who peacefully left this world behind March 10, 2025, in Norman, Oklahoma, at the age of 86 years. Jean was born July 27, 1938, to E G and Myrtle (Griffin) Johnson and lived her entire life in Maysville. In her early years, she attended Story School where she made friends and memories that lasted a lifetime. On October 21, 1954, Jean married James Selman and the couple had four children: James Lee “Squeaky,” Jeannie Kay, John Wesley and Kelly Lynn. Jean was a very loving and caring person. She enjoyed taking care of children and had cared for 25 children at one time. She continued caring for others when she accepted a position at McCaskill Nursing Home where she worked for 29 years. Jean was never afraid of hard work, and after leaving the nursing home she went to work at Joyce’s Café.
Jean’s greatest joy was playing dominoes and card games with family, finding a good deal at the citywide garage sales and going on a casino run to pass the time. Her family was arguably her most important achievement in her life and there wasn’t a conversation that didn’t include one, if not several, of her family members. Jean was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and she will be missed dearly.
Jean is survived by her sons: James Lee “Squeaky” Selman of Maysville, Oklahoma, and John Wesley Selman and Jackie of Weatherford, Oklahoma; daughters: Jeannie Kay Tillery and Larry of Maysville, Oklahoma, and Kelly Spence and Jeremy of Maysville, Oklahoma; 14 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Jean is preceded in death by her parents, E G and Myrtle Johnson; her husband, James Selman; brothers: Roy Johnson and Ray Gene Johnson; and sisters: Lois Pickens, Clema Bowlby, Dicey Bourlan, Jewell Whitlock, Jearline Havins, Geneva Smith and Bessie Smith.
Graveside funeral services were held Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Maysville Cemetery. Burial was under the direction of John W. Williams of Winans Funeral Home in Maysville, Oklahoma. Words of comfort may be sent to the family at winansfuneralhome.com.
