Selma Love Ehrlich

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Selma Love Ehrlich of Petaluma CA on April 20th, 2024. She was born on February 28, 1935 to Ruth and Jerome J. Kern in Riverdale (the Bronx), New York City. She grew up surrounded by a creative, artistic family and pursued her interests in music and singing by  performing in many operas, operettas and choral groups, including touring with a choral group in Europe.

At the age of 24 she married Ole Alan Brix, moved to California, and soon after gave birth to Nina Brigitte Brix and a year later to David Loren Brix. Four years later, they divorced and she returned to Riverdale to bring up her children around her family. She pursued a career in early child development and taught at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in Riverdale for many years. In 1970, she was introduced to the love of her life, Stanley F. Ehrlich, and they married on November 25. She found her soul's companion and they built a wonderful life together in Pennington, NJ, then Yardley, PA, and finally Petaluma, CA.

Selma’s capacity for love and compassion, as well as her joy for life, sense of humor, fashion, and interior design were well known to her family, friends, and community. Most of all she loved her husband, Stan. Together they enjoyed spending time with family and friends whom they so cherished and traveling around the world.

Later in life Selma developed a love for quilting and created many beautiful quilts. She also enjoyed spending time with her quilting group, the Mavens.

After Stan’s passing in 2014, she came to understand what it meant to have someone with you when suffering from illness so she volunteered with the hospice group in Petaluma to support people with terminal illness.

Selma developed Parkinson’s which over the years became more and more debilitating. Throughout her illness, she maintained her indomitable spirit, continuing to give 100% to her family and loved ones. It is her love, compassion, creativity, humor, and commitment to family that are her legacy.

She is survived by her children Gitte Brix, David Brix and wife Lynne Ching, step-children Charles Ehrlich and wife Elizabeth McMahon, Carol Schroeder and husband Dean, Paul Ehrlich and wife Janet, grandchildren Alexandra Noia, Laura Ehrlich and husband Sean Smith, Erik Schroeder and wife Nina O'Keefe, Katrina Schroeder Smith and husband Alex, Christopher Ehrlich, Ben Ehrlich and wife Elise Anderson, as well as great grandchildren Mickey (Edmund McMahon) Smith, Calvin and Zoé O’Keefe Schroeder, Gabby (Gabriella) and Thea (Althea) Smith.