04 Jun Peter Selkowe
Posted at 18:30h
in Uncategorized
by staff
Peter (“Pete”) W. Selkowe died Sunday morning, June 2, 2024. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 11:00am at the Bismarck Funeral Home. Family will be receiving guests one hour prior to the service.
Pete is survived by his wife, Louise; his daughter, Vicky Selkowe and her husband Barney Chastain; daughter, Katey Kline and husband Chris; grandchildren, Christopher Wayne Kline and Fiona Anne Kline; and brother-in-law, Tom Parker. He is preceded in death by his parents and son, Gregory Peter Selkowe.
Born in Brooklyn in 1943 to Gertrude (Halperin) Selkowe & Dr. Henry Selkowe, Pete grew up in New York City, a fact he was proud of, and of the New York accent he could slip into when he wanted. Pete graduated from Stuyvesant High School; and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Northeastern University and MBA (while working full-time) from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Pete’s professional life was spent as a journalist in all forms: photographer, reporter, editor, publisher. He believed that “Fairness and accuracy are the basis of a newspaper’s credibility,” and lamented the decline of local news coverage, saying “Journalists help keep politicians honest.” Under his leadership as Publisher, the Bismarck Tribune won many editorial awards. He also helped institute Jeans Day, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities. As Publisher of the Racine Journal Times in Racine, Wisconsin, he connected the newspaper to the community and raised funds for the United Way of Racine County’s annual campaign.
Retiring in Racine, Pete started a local-news blog, The Racine Post, to highlight the good in a city where so much media focus was on the negatives. Doing the right thing was important to him, whether in words or deeds, and he passed this legacy on to his children.
An avid traveler, Pete ventured solo around Europe on a Vespa. One of his favorite tales was the night he spent in a Spanish jail at the invitation of the police – but solely to escape the rain! He also put countless miles on his dream Porsche, a 911SC.
Pete’s pride in his family was unsurpassed. Both daughters achieved post-graduate degrees spurred on by his encouragement. He marveled at his grandkids’ vocabularies and talents, and hopefully realized the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
Even through their pain, his family recognizes that he is now, finally, sleeping in peace.
