Obituary for Mary Alice Kaiser (Selm)
Mary Alice (née Selm) Kaiser passed away in her home near Knightstown, IN on December 5, 2021
at the age of 76. She was a wife, grandmother, homemaker, and teacher. She is survived
by her husband of 50 years, John A. Kaiser; two daughters, Kristin Korty (Andrew) of Delphi,
Indiana and Karen Kaiser-Kern (Nicolas) of New York and Vienna, Austria. She is also survived by
four grandchildren: Anna, Vincent, and Lydia Korty; and Sixtus Kern. She leaves behind her four
siblings: Joan Bertermann, Frederick J. Selm, William L. Selm, and Rosemarie Selm Rigos.
Mrs. Kaiser was born June 13, 1945 in Batesville, IN; the daughter of Lee Edward and Helenrose
(née Hoelker) Selm. She was the eldest of five children and grew up on the family farm on
Holland Road, Brookville Twp., Franklin County. Mrs. Kaiser was a graduate of St. Michael
Catholic School and Brookville High School (class of 1963). She was a very active 4-H Club
member of the Brookville Town & Country and St. Michael Handy Helpers clubs.
Following in the footsteps of her mother, Mrs. Kaiser pursued a career as an educator.
She earned an Associate’s Degree at St. Catherine College in Kentucky, a B.A. at St. Benedict
College, Ferdinand, IN, and a Masters Degree from Ball State University. She began her 44-year
teaching career at St. Louis Catholic School, Batesville in 1965-66. Rushville Consolidated School
Corp. hired her in 1968 to teach first grade at Jackson School, later at Mays School, and finally
at Benjamin Rush Elementary School. She also trained as a member of the first Reading
Recovery specialist team. Mrs. Kaiser retired in 2011 after 43 years of teaching in Rush County.
Mrs. Kaiser married John A. Kaiser of Whitewater Twp., Franklin Co. on 11 June 1971 at St.
Mary Catholic Church in Rushville. She lived with her family on a small farm in Center Twp.,
Rush Co. near Knightstown from 1985 until her death. She was an active member of St. Rose of
Lima Catholic Church, Knightstown, Business and Professional Women network of Knightstown,
Alpha Delta Kappa sorority for women educators; and the Rush County Retired Teachers
Association. Memberships included Historic Knightstown, Inc. and the Indiana German Heritage
Society.
She was devoted to her family and students, and was a loving, kind, and thoughtful wife,
mother, grandmother, aunt, daughter, and sibling. She will be greatly missed.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Thursday, December 16, 2021 at Heritage Funeral Care
in Knightstown with Father Christopher Spray. Burial will follow at Glen Cove Cemetery in Knightstown.
Friends may call from 4 – 7 pm, Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at the funeral home and from
9:30 – 11 am prior to the service on Thursday.
You may send the family a personal condolence at www.heritagefuneralcares.com.
The Hunt family and Heritage staff are honored to serve the family of Mary Alice Kaiser.
at the age of 76. She was a wife, grandmother, homemaker, and teacher. She is survived
by her husband of 50 years, John A. Kaiser; two daughters, Kristin Korty (Andrew) of Delphi,
Indiana and Karen Kaiser-Kern (Nicolas) of New York and Vienna, Austria. She is also survived by
four grandchildren: Anna, Vincent, and Lydia Korty; and Sixtus Kern. She leaves behind her four
siblings: Joan Bertermann, Frederick J. Selm, William L. Selm, and Rosemarie Selm Rigos.
Mrs. Kaiser was born June 13, 1945 in Batesville, IN; the daughter of Lee Edward and Helenrose
(née Hoelker) Selm. She was the eldest of five children and grew up on the family farm on
Holland Road, Brookville Twp., Franklin County. Mrs. Kaiser was a graduate of St. Michael
Catholic School and Brookville High School (class of 1963). She was a very active 4-H Club
member of the Brookville Town & Country and St. Michael Handy Helpers clubs.
Following in the footsteps of her mother, Mrs. Kaiser pursued a career as an educator.
She earned an Associate’s Degree at St. Catherine College in Kentucky, a B.A. at St. Benedict
College, Ferdinand, IN, and a Masters Degree from Ball State University. She began her 44-year
teaching career at St. Louis Catholic School, Batesville in 1965-66. Rushville Consolidated School
Corp. hired her in 1968 to teach first grade at Jackson School, later at Mays School, and finally
at Benjamin Rush Elementary School. She also trained as a member of the first Reading
Recovery specialist team. Mrs. Kaiser retired in 2011 after 43 years of teaching in Rush County.
Mrs. Kaiser married John A. Kaiser of Whitewater Twp., Franklin Co. on 11 June 1971 at St.
Mary Catholic Church in Rushville. She lived with her family on a small farm in Center Twp.,
Rush Co. near Knightstown from 1985 until her death. She was an active member of St. Rose of
Lima Catholic Church, Knightstown, Business and Professional Women network of Knightstown,
Alpha Delta Kappa sorority for women educators; and the Rush County Retired Teachers
Association. Memberships included Historic Knightstown, Inc. and the Indiana German Heritage
Society.
She was devoted to her family and students, and was a loving, kind, and thoughtful wife,
mother, grandmother, aunt, daughter, and sibling. She will be greatly missed.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Thursday, December 16, 2021 at Heritage Funeral Care
in Knightstown with Father Christopher Spray. Burial will follow at Glen Cove Cemetery in Knightstown.
Friends may call from 4 – 7 pm, Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at the funeral home and from
9:30 – 11 am prior to the service on Thursday.
You may send the family a personal condolence at www.heritagefuneralcares.com.
The Hunt family and Heritage staff are honored to serve the family of Mary Alice Kaiser.