Edna Joyce (Norris) Selberg

COUSINS ISLAND- Edna Joyce (Norris) Selberg, passed away on July 19, 2022. She was born on January 18, 1932 in Portland, Maine, the daughter of Rose Fontaine Norris and Sterling "Bud" Norris, Sr. 

She attended Portland schools, Cathedral High School and was a 1950 graduate of Portland High School. Her first job was working as a legal secretary and paralegal for Attorney Jacob Aggar in Portland. 

She met the first love of her life, J. Wayne Selberg; a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy and they married in 1952. He joined the US Navy and they traveled the world in tours of duty while she served as a Navy officer's wife and raised 4 children. While stationed in Naha Okinawa, Edna loved managing the Naha base gift shop and served on many officers’ wives committees. Wayne served his last tour as LCDR at the Brooklyn, NY Navy Yard. In NY she began work as an Administrative Assistant to a Commanding Officer in US Naval Intelligence where she gained many accolades from her superiors for her contributions. When Wayne retired in 1975, they moved to their dream cottage on Cousins Island in Yarmouth, Maine. 

Edna worked part-time for Heritage Lanterns in Yarmouth and she loved speaking with customers all over the country providing her expertise on the handmade lanterns. Wayne and Edna launched Eagle Boat Tours on the Portland Waterfront; running a tour boat to Admiral Peary’s Island retreat- Eagle Island, the only ferry service out of Portland Harbor. Eventually they had 2 boats, the Kristy K and the Fish Hawk, with son Eric captaining the Fish Hawk while Wayne ran the Kristy K, named for their daughters’ Kristy and Karen. Edna was the backbone of that business, selling tickets from a booth on Commercial Street. She was often seen on the street greeting tourists to convince them they wouldn’t be disappointed with the experience of a boat trip to Eagle Island. To a person, they raved about the trip, and the family home telephone often got calls years later asking to book tickets, long after the business had been sold when Wayne got ill. Wayne died in 1989. Edna and Wayne were best friends with Wayne's first cousin Roger and his wife Peggy since their younger days and often boated together up the coast. 

After Peggy died young, Roger and Mom dated and eventually became devoted to each other. They were loving companions for 29 years. Roger was the second love of Mom’s life. They continued boating and snowmobiling, and eventually did RV motor trips with friends across the US, going to all 49 continental States. After 10 years, they settled down for winters in Venice Beach, Florida in a lovely beach community with many Maine neighbors nearby where they enjoyed golf, cribbage, boating, beach excursions, exploring Florida and hosting their children and grandchildren. Eventually health reasons brought them back to Maine year-round, where they were warmly welcomed by their family. 

Edna was a graceful hostess with a twinkle in her eye, always finding the positive of any situation. She exuded love and caring to all who knew her and had a wicked sense of humor. She loved to laugh and she had a sharp mind and quick wit. Edna was a devoted sports fan and her much loved friend and former son-in-law Michael Wolf dubbed ESPN, Edna’s Sports Network, such was her knowledge of sports. 

Edna had a strong Catholic faith. She seemed to have a direct pipeline to St. Jude and other Saints, Jesus, and was often praying to her beloved Mother Mary. 

Mom was fiercely devoted to her children, partners and all her friends. Her prayers on their behalf often resulted in miracles, big and small. Her favorite piece of wisdom was “everything all works out in the end”. And she was right. 

Edna was predeceased by her brother, Jackie Norris (Sterling Norris, Jr.); her husband, J. Wayne Selberg; her partner, Roger Bowker; her son, Eric Selberg; and her granddaughter, Brenna K. Richardson. She is survived by her daughter, Karen R. Richardson and her husband, Dennis of White River Junction, Vt; her son, Jay Selberg of Cousins Island, Yarmouth; her daughter, Kristy Selberg of Yarmouth; her grandson, Ian Richardson (Jessica) of Sebago, Me; her granddaughter, Heather Richardson (fiancée Joey Waller); great-grandchildren, Ethan and Avery Brown of Mass; and the family of Roger Bowker, his daughter, Nannette Wirth (Ted); his son, Chase Bowker (Sue); and Roger’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is survived by Wayne’s brother, Ron Annas (Mary Sue) of NYC; their children, Shane Annas (Haelinn) of Brooklyn, Claire Keaveney, (Aiden) of Blauvelt, NY, Jesse Annas of Brooklyn; and grandchildren. Wayne’s sister, Judy Jared of Old Orchard Beach, Me; and her children, Kim Michaud (Dan) of Milton Ma, Ken Jared of Portland Me, Karla Dyer of Windham Me; and grandchildren. 

The family would like to acknowledge and thank the special people that enriched Roger and Edna's lives with their unflinching daily acts of kindness and love which made it possible for Edna to stay at home through hospice care: Her friends and neighbors, Tim and Kayla Cahill, Ann Marie and Dan Mayaard, Stephanie Abate and Suzanne Coffey, Jen and Jeff Carr. It truly does take a village. The family would like to thank Beacon Hospice for their compassionate care, specifically, Dina Duffy, Michele Lehman, Leslie Searfoss, and Katherine Gibbons. Roger and Mom’s caregivers, Sue Cole and Bonnie Randall.

Visiting Hours will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 PM, Friday, July 29, 2022 at A.T. Hutchins Funeral Home, 660 Brighton Ave, Portland. A Memorial Service will be held 11:00 AM, Saturday, July 30, 2022.

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