Gordon F. Selby

Selby, Gordon F.
retired Phoenix City Policeman Badge No. 85 and DPS officer Badge No. 372, passed away at his Star Valley home on January 6, 2014. He was 91. A 1941 graduate of Phoenix Union High School, he began his life of service with the U. S. Navy in 1942 until being honorably discharged in 1945. 1946 was the year Gordon began his law enforcement career with the Phoenix Police Department. In 1956, he was honored by the department as Police Officer of the Year. In 1962, Gordon graduated from the FBI National Police Academy. He continued to ascend the ranks with the Phoenix Police Department, where he retired as headquarters captain in 1966. Shortly thereafter, Arizona's governor appointed Gordon as Assistant Superintendent for the Department of Liquor Licenses and Narcotics Control through the Department of Public Safety. Gordon's last six years with the DPS were spent as Assistant Chief of Criminal Investigation, retiring a second time in 1977. In his retirement, he operated a private investigation firm. For many years he was a member of the Verde Vaqueros (Scottsdale Boys' Club), the Mesa South Side Mounted Posse as well as the Scottsdale Mounted Posse. Gordon was both privileged and proud to have served as Grand Marshall of Scottsdale's renowned Parada del Sol in 1970 and again in 1971. In later years he was active in international trail riding in such countries as Australia, China, Russia and Mexico, among others. Gordon is survived by his wife, Linda; children, Toni Stewart (Doug), Shawna Hankins (Craig), Shannon Selby, Sydney Selby and Jeff Williams; grandchildren, Rachel, Trevor, Alexis, Austin, Christian and Olivia; and great-grandson, Cooper. Friends are invited to the visitation on Saturday, January 18, 2014 from high-noon until the funeral service at 1:00 PM at Messinger Payson Funeral Home, 901 S. Westerly Rd., in Payson. Contributions honoring Gordon to the Arizona Peace Officers' Memorial Charity, Inc., P. O. Box 37485 - Phoenix, AZ 85069 are encouraged.