(The following obituary appeared on The State website on January 10.)
WEST COLUMBIA — Funeral service for Christopher “Chris” Glenn Seeling, 28, of West Columbia, will be held 11 o’clock, Tuesday, January 11, 2005, at First Presbyterian Church, conducted by Rev. Neal Mathias. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6 until 8 at Shives Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1420 Lady St., Columbia, SC 29201. Graveside service will be held Friday, January 14, 2005, at 11 o’clock in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne, Indiana, directed by D. O. McComb & Sons Funeral Home, 1140 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805.
Mr. Seeling died Thursday, January 6, 2005. Born in Fort Wayne Indiana, he was the son of Stephen M. Seeling and Rebecca Jane Fortmeyer. He had been a resident of the Columbia area since 1996 and was a conductor/engineer for Norfolk Southern Railroad. Mr. Seeling was a graduate of B. S. N. F. Railroad Academy at Johnson County Community College. He was the Secretary/Treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen and a member of First Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include his father and step-mother, Patty, of Lenexa Kansas; mother and step-father, Ed Schmidt of Morehead City, NC; sisters, Carolyn (Joshua) Tomlinson of Elkhart, IN; Rebecca (Brad) Kapsner of Melrose, MN, Naomi (Troy) Knafla of Sauk Rapids, MN, Theresa Schmidt of Morehead City, NC; brothers, Joseph (Shawana) Schmidt of Milaca, MN, Edward “Eddie” Schmidt of Morehead City, NC; grandfathers, Wayne F. Fortmeyer and Donald J. Malson; uncle, Steven (Helga) Fortmeyer; aunts, Carol Meithke, Linda Gaye (Dave) Finlayson; nephews, Mason, Taylor, and Daniel; nieces, Amber, Abigail, and Genevieve; cousins, Scott, Fred, Heather, and Lisa; his extended family, Joe & Kaye Teague of Columbia; and his beloved Black Labrador, Beauregard.