Donnie Selvage

Donald Lynn Selvage, 72, husband of the late Martha Wilson Selvage, passed away peacefully with his children by his side, Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

Born June 14, 1952, in Nicholas County to the late James Russell & Edna Conyers Selvage, he grew up on Forest Retreat Farm, a Derby-winning thoroughbred farm, where his dad was farm manager. Donnie grew up with a fondness for nature and animals, adopting every stray animal that found their way to him. As a child, he was active in 4-H, showing prize-winning cattle at the state fair and loved his beautiful Palomino horse, Charlie.

Donnie volunteered in the U.S. Navy upon graduating from high school and served overseas on the USS Constellation (The Connie) and the USS John F. Kennedy, writing letters to his sweetheart and later his wife, Martha, every chance he could. Donnie had many great stories that he shared with his family over the years about his time in the service and instilled a deep sense of patriotism and love of country in his children. His son, Jared, would later serve as a Captain in the Marine Corps, which his father was immensely proud to tell anyone who would listen.

He returned home to settle with his wife in Carlisle, KY, where he served as a police officer and also in Paris, KY. At the urging of his wife, he turned his career down a different path, where he came to work for his father, Russell, on Forest Retreat Farm. Eventually, he too would come to manage the farm and instill a great love for the outdoors, animals, hard work and history in his children, who also worked on the farm from an early age. Twenty-five years later, after the farm was sold, Donnie worked at 3M in Cynthiana, where he would later retire.

His marriage of 39 years to Martha was one of dedication, as he held her hand at the end of her cancer battle in 2012. They raised three children in a tiny home on eighteen acres, where they did “not too bad for two farm kids” as he would say, in raising their children. Having lost his own mother suddenly, at the age of 13, Donnie was blessed to be so close to Martha’s family and was always treated as “one of the boys” by her late mother, Edith Wilson. He was preceded in death by his sister, Willa Faye Mathes.

Donnie loved hunting, was an avid gun collector, expert shooter and primitive rifle enthusiast. He inherited his father’s skill at woodworking, making the most beautiful furniture of walnut and cherry he would cut down himself. If dogs are a good judge of character, then Donnie was the best of us, as every stray found their way to him and instantly loved him. He was a history buff and a natural teacher, passing that love to his eldest daughter, Diana, who has spent her career as a history teacher. He grew the best gardens and loved tending to them, teaching himself how to can and make pepper jelly.

Rich in gifts of ability, his greatest treasure was his family. He was a simple man, whose only request when asked what he wanted for Christmas was always “for everybody to be happy and healthy.” He’ll forever be an image of strength and protection for his family, sitting on the back porch drinking black coffee, reading a gun magazine or newspaper, wearing his Wranglers with a white t-shirt and a high-sitting cap, ready to tell you how many deer he had already spotted that morning and anxious to discuss the latest political news.

Donnie was a member of Carlisle Christian Church and was later baptized at Battle Run Christian Church in 2011.

Survivors include his children: Diana Marie (Jerry) Patrick, Melissa Lynn Selvage Totty & Jared Russell Selvage, along with 6 grandchildren: Cullen Patrick, Beau Totty and Mason, Laura Jane, Willa & Declan Selvage. He also leaves behind four “brothers”, “the boys”: Jimmy, Donnie, Ronnie and Bill Wilson, with whom he shared a lifetime of memories and occasionally some Woodford Reserve. He also leaves behind a dear best friend for his lifetime, Dennis Dotson.

Services will be 11:00 A.M. Monday, November 4th at Mathers-Gaunce Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will follow in Elizaville Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3:00-5:00 P.M. Sunday.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, you consider donating to the Wounded Warrior Project, who support our veterans that protected this country, which Dad loved so dearly.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Donnie Selvage, please visit our floral store.