Harvey L. Seltzer, prominent Palmyra theater owner, bologna manufacturer and real estate operator, died on Sunday evening at his winter home in Coral Gables, Florida. A son, Jack Seltzer, just discharged from the U.S. Navy at Jacksonville, Florida, after service in the Philippines, and more recently as an instructor at an air gunnery school in Florida, arrived at the home on Saturday, and was present when the end came. Mr. Seltzer had been in poor health for a year or more. Last May he went to John's Hopkins Hospital at Baltimore, Md., for a major operation involving a brain tumor. There were symptoms of improvement for a time, but he relapsed into his former condition again as the year wore on, and about the middle of December, went to Florida, where he had opened a cottage some years ago. His condition became grave last week when weakness precipitated an attack of pneumonia and an oxygen tent was resorted to, but it proved to be of no avail as a coronary thrombosis developed on Sunday and rendered fruitless all other efforts on his behalf. He would have attained the 69th year of his age on May 29th next. The deceased was a son of the late Henry M. and Lydia (Light) Seltzer. Born and raised at Palmyra, Mr. Seltzer was deeply devoted to his hometown, and had a prominent part in all matters pertaining to the public welfare there, As a young man he attended the Harrisburg markets with home-produced meats of various kinds. As an experiment he minced certain kinds of meats, which met with a ready demand, and this finally directed him into the sausage and then bologna business. His bologna product was widely known throughout the state and parts of the nation and has done much to expand Lebanon's characterization as "Bologna-town." Before the war put a ban on meat products, the plant had grown to large proportions, and still does an immense wholesale business, operated by a corporation of which he was president at the time of his death. He had many other interests however. In 1928 he gave the borough its first theatre, and like everything else he promoted, has been a success from the start, although the entertainment program was taken over by a movie concern a few years after the theatre was erected. Mr. Seltzer was a great lover of horse flesh, and some years owned champion animals which won him valuable prizes at shows. He also had a penchant for farming, and some years ago purchased several farms in the Penbrook-Paxtang region. in Dauphin County. He lived there for several years, but later sold the properties, and resumed his residence at 220 East Main St., Palmyra, and did some "gentleman farming" in connection with two valuable farm properties he bought in the region south of the town. He was affiliated with a large number of religious and fraternal organizations. He was for many years a member of the First United Brethren Church, Palmyra, and for a long term before his death served on the board of trustees. He was a member of Palmyra Lodge of Odd Fellows and Palmyra Camp, Sons of America. He became a member of the Brownstone Lodge of Masons many years ago, and since then became connected with many other organizations of that group, including the Shrine and Consistory. He was a member of the Quittapahilla Forest of Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He was particularly prominent at Zembo Temple, Harrisburg, and for some years past was a trustee there. He belonged to the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce and the Harrisburg Rotary Club, in Addition to professional groups of Business associates. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Mabel (Givler) Seltzer; the son already named; two daughters, Mrs. Carrie Royer, North Tenth Street, this city, and Mrs. Alice Hughes, of Penbrook. There are several grandchildren. Harry Seltzer, assistant postmaster at Palmyra, and vice president of the Seltzer Bologna Company, is a brother. Funeral arrangements will be announced after the body arrives from the south. [Lebanon Daily News, January 21, 1946, Page 1 & 5]
Harvey L. Seltzer, prominent Palmyra theater owner, bologna manufacturer and real estate operator, died on Sunday evening at his winter home in Coral Gables, Florida. A son, Jack Seltzer, just discharged from the U.S. Navy at Jacksonville, Florida, after service in the Philippines, and more recently as an instructor at an air gunnery school in Florida, arrived at the home on Saturday, and was present when the end came. Mr. Seltzer had been in poor health for a year or more. Last May he went to John's Hopkins Hospital at Baltimore, Md., for a major operation involving a brain tumor. There were symptoms of improvement for a time, but he relapsed into his former condition again as the year wore on, and about the middle of December, went to Florida, where he had opened a cottage some years ago. His condition became grave last week when weakness precipitated an attack of pneumonia and an oxygen tent was resorted to, but it proved to be of no avail as a coronary thrombosis developed on Sunday and rendered fruitless all other efforts on his behalf. He would have attained the 69th year of his age on May 29th next. The deceased was a son of the late Henry M. and Lydia (Light) Seltzer. Born and raised at Palmyra, Mr. Seltzer was deeply devoted to his hometown, and had a prominent part in all matters pertaining to the public welfare there, As a young man he attended the Harrisburg markets with home-produced meats of various kinds. As an experiment he minced certain kinds of meats, which met with a ready demand, and this finally directed him into the sausage and then bologna business. His bologna product was widely known throughout the state and parts of the nation and has done much to expand Lebanon's characterization as "Bologna-town." Before the war put a ban on meat products, the plant had grown to large proportions, and still does an immense wholesale business, operated by a corporation of which he was president at the time of his death. He had many other interests however. In 1928 he gave the borough its first theatre, and like everything else he promoted, has been a success from the start, although the entertainment program was taken over by a movie concern a few years after the theatre was erected. Mr. Seltzer was a great lover of horse flesh, and some years owned champion animals which won him valuable prizes at shows. He also had a penchant for farming, and some years ago purchased several farms in the Penbrook-Paxtang region. in Dauphin County. He lived there for several years, but later sold the properties, and resumed his residence at 220 East Main St., Palmyra, and did some "gentleman farming" in connection with two valuable farm properties he bought in the region south of the town. He was affiliated with a large number of religious and fraternal organizations. He was for many years a member of the First United Brethren Church, Palmyra, and for a long term before his death served on the board of trustees. He was a member of Palmyra Lodge of Odd Fellows and Palmyra Camp, Sons of America. He became a member of the Brownstone Lodge of Masons many years ago, and since then became connected with many other organizations of that group, including the Shrine and Consistory. He was a member of the Quittapahilla Forest of Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He was particularly prominent at Zembo Temple, Harrisburg, and for some years past was a trustee there. He belonged to the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce and the Harrisburg Rotary Club, in Addition to professional groups of Business associates. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Mabel (Givler) Seltzer; the son already named; two daughters, Mrs. Carrie Royer, North Tenth Street, this city, and Mrs. Alice Hughes, of Penbrook. There are several grandchildren. Harry Seltzer, assistant postmaster at Palmyra, and vice president of the Seltzer Bologna Company, is a brother. Funeral arrangements will be announced after the body arrives from the south. [Lebanon Daily News, January 21, 1946, Page 1 & 5]
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