Obituary of Anthony E. Seidl

OBITUARY FOR ANTHONY EMANUEL SEIDL—EDUCATOR and RETIRED NAVY OFFICER Anthony (Tony) Emanuel Seidl died in Southeast Portland on November 21, 2012, 10 days before his 93rd birthday. His daughter Deborah and her husband Robert were at his bedside as he started his next journey. Tony was born in Almont, North Dakota on 12/1/1919, the third of six children of Frank Seidl and Ludmilla Braxmeyer Seidl. During the Depression, the Seidl family left North Dakota for a better life on the West Coast. After living briefly in Santa Rosa, California, the family settled in Southeast Portland in the early 1930s. Tony and his siblings attended Sacred Heart Parish School and members of the extended family were Sacred Heart parishioners for seven decades. Tony spent his high school years at Mount Angel Seminary (1933-1937). In 1942, he began his training as a United States Naval Officer at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, California. He completed his training as a Navy pilot in Pensacola, Florida where he met Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Spieth, a LINC trainer, who had left Kent State University in Ohio to join the Navy WAVES. Tony and Betty were married in the Pensacola Base Chapel on February 1, 1945, a loving union that lasted over 50 years. Lieutenant, JG Anthony Seidl retired from active duty in late 1946, but continued serving in the Navy Reserves for another fifteen years—initially as a pilot and, finally, as a Lieutenant Commander in the "black shoe" service. After his retirement, he volunteered at Swan Island Veterans' Affairs Center. Tony earned both his BA (1947) and his M.Ed.-Business Administration (1956) at University of Portland. Tony and Betty and their four daughters lived in Beaverton, Oregon (1950-1961) while Tony served as a dedicated teacher, respected assistant football coach, and effective business administrator at Central Catholic High School in Portland. Tony left Central Catholic to begin a doctorate program at Stanford University College of Education (1961-1962). He completed his doctoral studies at University of Notre Dame (Indiana), earning a Ph.D.in Education in 1964. He remained at that institution for two years as a professor in the College of Education. While at Notre Dame, Dr. Anthony Seidl began his consulting work on Catholic education for the Academy of Educational Development. His work for the Academy continued until the early 1970's. In 1966, the family returned to the West Coast and Dr. Anthony Seidl began his 12 year tenure at University of San Francisco (USF) as Professor of Education, Summer School Dean and as the University Provost. Tony and Betty Seidl spent their early retirement years in the Oakmont Community of Santa Rosa, California. Ultimately, they returned to Oregon where they resided in the Charbonneau District of Wilsonville, Oregon and spent winters in Mesa, Arizona until Betty died in 1996. After Betty's death, Tony lived for several years near his two daughters in Boise and Caldwell, Idaho and near his third daughter in Portland, Oregon. He spent his last few years in senior living facilities in Charbonneau, Mount Angel, and in Southeast Portland, Oregon. Tony Seidl is survived by his youngest sister (Janet [Floyd] Snyder) of Salem, his four daughters (Suzanne Griffin of Seattle, Mary Lou [Richard] Kinney of Boise, Deborah [Robert] Sipe of Portland and Elizabeth [Dan] Lockwood of Caldwell, Idaho) and by nine grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his spouse and love-of-his life (Betty Jean), his son-in-law (Michael Griffin), his two brothers (Frank and Edward) and two of his sisters (Ludmilla and Anne). A Rosary and Funeral mass for Tony Seidl will be held at Holy Family Church at 7525 SE Caesar Chavez Boulevard (near the corner of Flavel and SE 39th) in Portland, Oregon on Friday, November 30th. The Rosary will be at 10:30 a.m. and the Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. A private graveside service will be held at Willamette National Cemetery on Monday, December 3rd at 12:30 p.m. Arrangements are being made by Wilhelm's Portland Memorial Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, Tony requested that contributions be made in memory of "Tony & Betty Seidl" to the scholarship fund at Central Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon, to the Betty Jean Seidl Scholarship fund at the Boys and Girls Club of Portland, Oregon or to the scholarship fund supporting graduate students in Education at University of Notre Dame. In the last decade of his life, Tony expressed the hope that he would leave behind a good personal legacy and satisfying professional legacy. These are modest words from a man who made significant contributions to Catholic education and gave so much love, support and encouragement to his family, as well as to thousands of students and hundreds of professional colleagues. Tony Seidl has made all of our lives richer. We will miss you, Tony/Dad/Grandpa/Great-Grandpa! Service Information