Richard SELIGA

SELIGA, Richard Age 77, passed away peacefully on Oct.1, 2016, in Santa Rosa, CA. He was surrounded by his loving wife and his two wonderful children. Richard was born and raised in Chicago, Ill. He had many happy memories of taking the bus to his grandmother's house where she would feed him apple pie before he set off to Wrigley Field to sneak in and watch the Cubs play baseball. He was an outstanding athlete in High School, where he was the quarterback on the football team, and the pitcher on the baseball team. After graduation, he was drafted as a pitcher by the then Brooklyn Dodgers. After spending one year on the Dodger's farm team, his father talked him into giving up his dream of a baseball career to instead pursue a more steady life by getting a college degree. He enrolled in Mankato State in MN where he was the college quarterback for two years. He was then drafted by the Army, and he spent two years in Alaska. After the Army he decided to move to CA where he enrolled in San Jose State and completed his degree in business. It was there that he met Joan, his loving wife of 53 years. They were married within a year and within three years they had two children, Karie and Darren (Deke). They lived and raised their children in San Jose. Rich was an entrepreneur, first in Real Estate, next in the building of homes, and finally in owning farms and growing and selling grapes, almonds and kiwi's in the farmlands of Modesto. In 1990 Rich and Joan moved to Santa Rosa. Their two children, Karie and Deke, soon joined them there. In 1990 he and Deke opened a mortgage company, Seliga Financial, where he worked part time until his death. In 1997 Karie delivered their first beautiful grand-daughter, Jamie Johnson. Soon after, Deke and his wife Nina gave them two handsome grandsons, Andrew and Matteo. Rich was a great golfer and loved playing golf with his friends, his son and his wife. Rich also loved to travel and he and Joan especially loved spending winter time in Hawaii. Rich and Joan lived happily in Oakmont for the past 19 years. Rich is survived by his wife, Joan, his daughter Karie, his son Deke, his daughter-in-law Nina, his grandchildren Jamie, Andrew and Matteo and his brother Robert Seliga of Austin, TX. There will be a private celebration of his life. If desired, donations can be made to The Leukemia And Lymphoma Society.