Ellen B. Selby

Ellen Adele Boswell Selby, 90, of Gaithersburg, MD passed away on June 22, 2022 at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital.  She was born August 25, 1931 in Olney, MD to Wilton J. Boswell and Mary Ellen Hawkins Boswell. she grew up in Laytonsville, MD and graduated from Gaithersburg High School in 1949.

Ellen was predeceased by her father and mother, stepmother Ann Boswell and stepfather Ralph E. Dove.  Ellen was also predeceased by both of her children, Marion "Mike" Selby III and Patricia Selby Roberts and their father, Marion Selby, Jr.  She is survived by one grandson, Michael Roberts of Frederick, MD, her stepbrother James Dove of Monrovia, her stepsister Terri Keck of Palm Bay, Florida, one aunt, Janet Howes of Gaithersburg and many cousins and friends.

She was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg, where in the past she sang in the choir.

In her late teens and as a young adult, her father was very active in the Christian Endeavor Union.  Ellen was the secretary of the Maryland Chapter.  They held their meetings in different locations, she would go to them as a soloist.  Ellen had the privilege on August 3, 1952, at a large gathering where the 4-counties meet, to sing "I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked" with the governor of Maryland in attendance and the speaker for the meeting.  Amazingly, he had just returned from a trip to the Holy Lands and had walked the places about which Ellen sang and on which he was speaking.  The audience thought the two had planned it that way, when actually they had never met until that day.

Ellen worked as an executive secretary at Worthington Real Estate & Employment Service in Silver Spring, MD at the time of her marriage.  After that, she and her husband owned and ran the Selby Market in Gaithersburg as well as Diamond Caterers.

She worked at Hekimian Laboratories, Inc. and the Gaithersburg Community Center as a secretary.  She worked part time as a salesperson for 14 years at the Hecht Company in Lakeforest Mall. 

One of her great loves was Boston Terriers and Pugs.  She was at one time very active in the Boston Terrier Club of Maryland.  She and her husband had Bubllen Brooke Kennels raising Boston Terriers.  After her divorce, she had Land O' Goshen Boston Terriers & Pugs on her own, raising and caring for both breeds.

The last two jobs she had before she had to retire were as a part time Activities Assistant at Collingswood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Rockville and an Activities Assistant at Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg.

A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 11:00AM at the Mt. Airy Baptist Church, 1402 N Main Street, Mt. Airy, MD 21771.  Interment will be private.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ellen B. Selby, please visit our floral store.