Selene Gaffri Sidney, MT

Selene Gaffri was born In Oakland, California, on March 6, 1953, to Betty and Jack Bauer. She was the second of five daughters.

Selene was active in Girls scouts throughout her youth and earned the Gold Award, She met her future husband Mark at a Boy Scout/Girl Scout dance.

Selene was in the Miss Pacifica pageant, and placed high enough to receive a partial scholarship to college. She received an AA degree at Skyline College, in San Bruno, California.

In 1973 Selene had her first MS attack and Mark proposed to her in the hospital. She was told she would never walk again and a year later she walked down the aisle on the arm of her father.

She married Mark Gaffri in 1974 and soon moved to Wyoming to farm with Mark. They soon moved to Bozeman for college where she worked in jewelry. She went back to school and graduated in 1982 with a BS degree in Agronomy.

Selene worked with Mark in the bee and seed industry and was a weed control supervisor. In 1983 after being hailed out and having their bees stolen Mark took a job in Iraq to pay off the loans and Selene worked in Montana. The highlight of that year apart was meeting and vacationing in Europe twice.

IN 1987 Selene was asked to apply for and accepted a job at the Sidney USDA-ARS station, She helped setup and ran the grasshopper research project in the beginning years. Selene was an accomplished grasshopper identifier, and worked in research with grasshoppers and their predators.

To relax after work Selene would garden, volunteer with 4-H, teach in the summer theater camp, act in the local theater companies, square dance, and knit and crochet.

Selene was an active member at Pella Lutheran Church, a member of the Faith Circle women's church group, taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir, and enjoyed crocheting as part of Pella's prayer shawl ministry.

After Selene broke her right leg twice in 2014 and 2015, her health deteriorated. She was hospitalized three times in 2016 and passed away with Mark, her best friend, at her side on August 10, 2016 at St. Vincent's Hospital, Billings, MT.

Selene is survived by Mark her spouse of 42 years, her mother Betty Bauer (Leavenworth, WA.) her sisters Glynis Bauer, Twila Morgan (Chad), and Quinta Howe (Washington) and her Brothers Scott Gaffri (Camille) Parker, CO and Jay Gaffri (Kathy) Billings, MT, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father Jack Bauer and an older sister Lana Phillips.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, August 27, at Pella Lutheran Church, Sidney, MT, 59270. A memorial will be held in Washington at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in memory of Selene Gaffri to Pella Lutheran Church at Sidney, MT, or to the charity of your choice.