Obituary of Maria Selz

Maria “Kitty” Cristina Selz, 72, formerly of Libertyville, passed away peacefully July 14, 2021 surrounded by her family. Kitty was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia. She struggled with illnesses as a young child, yet she loved her family, her home, visits to her aunts’ and uncles’ houses, and family trips to Cartagena. In her teen years, she lived with her Tía Maria and Tío Jack in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she graduated from high school. Afterward, she returned to Barranquilla and worked in education as a teacher’s aide. In 1969, while visiting her Tía Romana in Minnesota she met Tim, and they were married in Colombia in 1974. From that point on, she devoted herself entirely to her family; first her husband, then her children, and later her grandchildren. Kitty was kind and generous to everyone she met, and often was the life of the party. Ita, as she was affectionately called by her grandchildren, would light up the room with her radiant smile, her humorous stories, and her laughter. She had an unwavering faith in the goodness of God, which anchored her throughout her life in good times and bad.