Seelinger, Mike W.

Mike W. Seelinger, 81, died March 22, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28, at the United Methodist Church in Manchester, by the Rev. Roger Henry and the Rev. Rodney Allen. Family will greet friends before the service from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church and at the reception following the memorial service. Private inurnment will be at the Oakland Cemetery in Manchester, at a later date.

Mike was born Jan. 12, 1930, to Mike and Emma (Syner) Seelinger in Raleigh, W.V., a coal camp. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, W.V. He married Frances Bennett in 1950. They later divorced. On August 28, 1982, he was united in marriage to Marilyn Waste in Manchester, Iowa. Mike was a member of the Manchester United Methodist Church.

Prior to moving to Manchester in 1957, Mike worked for Valley Bell Dairy in Beckley, W.V. Mike worked in sales for Bennett Explosives for 37 years, retiring in 1994.

Mike loved taking care of his yard, woodworking, fishing and was an avid barbequer.

He was a “professional” watermelon picker and loved telling stories. Mike was elected into the Woodrow Wilson High School Football Hall Of Fame in 1982. He was proud to be an Iowa Hawkeye and West Virginia Mountaineer sports fan. He was proud of his grandchildren and loved spending time with them.

Mike is survived by his wife, Marilyn Seelinger of Manchester; sons, Kenneth (Cathy) Seelinger of Lyons, Colo., Charles (Kathy) Seelinger of Osceola; daughter-in-law, Nanci Seelinger of Colleyville, Texas; three stepchildren, Anne (Tim) Helle of Roscoe, Ill., Bob Waste of Cedar Rapids, and Steve (Linda) Waste of Oak Park, Ill.; 13 grandchildren, Christopher Seelinger, Jeffrey Seelinger, Nick (Andrea) Seelinger, Dr. Cara (Dr. Andy) Prideaux, Katie (Levi) Moore, Cari (Eric) Glenn, Michelle Seelinger, Stacy (Titus) Welch, Lauren Waste, Tom Waste, Sarah Waste, Dylan Waste and Isabel Waste; and four great-grandchildren, Jake Moore, Abby Moore, Caleb Glenn and Isaac Glenn; also three furry friends, Pickles, Tramp and Trouble.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Mike and Emma Seelinger; a son, John Seelinger; a daughter-in-law, Dr. Christine Waste; two brothers; and three sisters.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to the Manchester United Methodist Church, Regional Medical Home Health Care in Manchester, or charity of your choice in Mike's memory.

Please sign the online guest book for Mike at under obituaries.