Steve Sellinger

Steve Sellinger was born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1934 and grew up on Long Island. He excelled in school and sports, most of all baseball.

After graduating high school, he played baseball for Hofstra College, where he earned his bachelor's degree.

After graduating, the coach of the recreational baseball team he was playing with one summer happened to be the principal of a local elementary school. The man approached Steve one day and said, ‘How would you like to be a teacher for me"?

That question launched a decades long career as an educator. The same principal recruited Steve to try his hand at leading a school, and at 26 years of age, Steve became one of the youngest principals ever in New York.

He went on to earn a Doctorate in Education at NYU and led schools in several Connecticut districts. He retired after 30 years with the Westport School District.

Prior to and during retirement, Steve volunteered as a tutor, including assisting factory workers in Bridgeport, CT earn their GEDs, as well as teaching financial literacy to members of the Tohono O’odham Nation in Arizona.

After retirement in Tucson, AZ, Steve resurrected his love of baseball, becoming a fixture on the local ball fields. His hitting ability was legendary, continuing to demolish the ball even at 89 years of age. "Steve was an amazing hitter, the friend said adding jokingly, and he could run like the wind".

Prior to his retirement, Steve was regarded as an expert on the Holocaust. Steve developed a curriculum for the Connecticut schools and continued to teach and lecture on the subject after retirement. As it happened, he passed away on the annual Day of Remembrance commemorating the Holocaust.

Steve had a love for history and politics in general and would passionately, but respectfully engage with anyone to discuss current events no matter how different their viewpoint was from his own.

He also traveled widely, having visited all seven continents with his wife, Elaine.

He is survived by his loving wife, Elaine Sellinger of Tucson, AZ; his son Mark Sellinger and spouse Robin Sellinger of Vero Beach, FL; daughter Karen Sellinger and spouse Bonnie Weissberg of Baltimore, Md.; and his grandchildren Sydney Sellinger and Henry Sellinger. He is also survived by his 3 stepchildren and two great grandchildren.