Frank & Bright Funeral Home
Dr. Vernon DeSelms
Oct 9th, 1941 - Aug 14th, 2016Dr. Vernon Delmer DeSelms, II, 74, of Flora, Illinois, passed away at his home, on Sunday, August 14, 2016, after an intrepid battle with cancer. He was born the first of four sons of Vernon and Doris “Jim” DeSelms on October 9, 1941, at home in Cisne, Illinois.
Dr. DeSelms is survived by his wife, Cindy, and two children: Lisa “Kaye” DeSelms Dent and husband Roy of Effingham and Vernon Delmer DeSelms, III, of Flora. He is survived by his grandsons, Adam “Conrad” DeSelms Dent and Jack Dent. His three brothers and their spouses also survive: Jan of Tokyo, Japan, Mark of Roseville, Illinois, and William of Roseville, Illinois. He is also survived by nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.
Graduating from Cisne High School, “Dee” DeSelms went on to the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, and University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. He enrolled in the R.O.T.C. program while at the University of Illinois. Upon graduation from dental school, he was drafted for service in the Vietnam War and completed both officer training at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and Field Medical Service School at Camp Pendleton, California, before being deployed to Vietnam. He earned the rank of Lieutenant. Upon return, he was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station, where he met his partner in life and business, Cynthia Rose Conrad. They married in 1969 and soon moved to Flora to open his dental practice.
Dr. DeSelms was a member of Elks, VFW, and American Legion. He also served for many years on the Flora Airport Authority and the board of the First United Methodist Church of Flora. He loved gardening, fishing, spending time with family, traveling, music, family genealogy, and studying history. His knowledge of history was vast, and he devoted much of his time in retirement to studying Civil War history. Above all, he treasured spending time fishing and traveling with his two grandsons, with whom he attended the Civil War 150th Anniversary celebrations at Fort Sumter and other sites.
A funeral service for Dr. Vernon DeSelms will be 2 p.m. Friday, August 19, 2016, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home, 500 N. Main, Flora, Illinois. A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, August 18, at Frank and Bright Funeral Home. Interment with full military honors will be in the Cisne Cemetery. Dr. DeSelms found and maintained family tombstones in the Cemetery and will be the sixth DeSelms generation to be buried there.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his honor to the DAV- Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250, and will also be accepted at the funeral home.